The Knight in Black Armor
by Vess
Summary: Severus Snape, the brilliant master spy defender of the Wizardiing World, has some tough choices to make. What's a spy to do? Will he be able to save the day and be the knight in shining black armor? Or will it destroy his chance at happily ever after? Rated M to be safe. Under reconstruction, I forgot a few things.
1. Chapter 1

_**Standard Disclaimers Apply, I'm not making any money from this and you can't get blood from a turnip. All main characters are property of J.K. Rowling not mine except a couple. **_

_**A/N: I'm generally not a fan of long Author Notes but I feel the need for one this time. For story purposes I've altered ages of a few main characters, added relationships and added a few characters in hopes of giving you a well told story. Now there are quotes from the books, movies. They aren't mine I just borrowed them for the story. This story is completely AU and follows some of the guidelines for the marriage law challenge from WIKTT. Now the next few chapters are going to be quite short...well my opinion of short, at least until I build enough background and plot lines. Now if you aren't a multiple plot line reader you've been warned there is three possibly five different plots and six different relationships. But I promise if you bare with me it'll be well worth your time. Please enjoy...**_

_**Chapter 1**_

Severus Snape flew around the battle dodging hexes and curses as he searched for Potter. He had to find Potter and figure out some way to tell him the last of Dumbledore's wishes. But how was he going to get the boy to listen without getting hexed or cursed first?

He was still debating what to do when he landed on a little knoll away from the battle watching the horrific scene before him. He hoped Potter was alright along with the rest of the Order and his godson Draco. One way or the other it would end tonight. He had no expectations of making it out alive and if he did he hoped he could pull out the double edge sword he straddled daily without too much damage. There was no way possible.

Severus's instincts were honed and sharpened as the soft pop sounded beside him. Before the person could utter a word Severus had his wand at his throat ready to slit or hex as he cast a non-verbal Shielding Charm. He relaxed slightly upon seeing it was none other than his one and only friend Lucius Malfoy.

"What's happened?" Severus asked cautiously as he studied the once arrogantly confident man standing before him quivering. The signs of Lucius's earlier torture were very apparent.

"He wants you my friend," Lucius said looking at Severus. "The end is near and I fear it doesn't look good." He added quietly.

"Lucius you need to get out of here," Severus implored strongly knowing his friend was all but defenseless as a new born babe without his wand.

"Not without Cissy and Draco." Lucius said firmly. "Have you seen them in your flyover?" Lucius asked worriedly.

Severus knew how much it hurt his friend to be worrying with concern for his family. It was a deadly mistake, but one Severus envied. He had given up on the idea of a family a long time ago, but that didn't mean he didn't long for one. The closest thing he ever got to a son was Draco. "I haven't seen Cissy and I don't know where Draco is but I feel he's fine." Severus said.

"You better go my friend he is most impatient tonight," Lucius warned.

Severus gave him a curt nod before turning only to be stopped by Lucius's hand on his arm. "Be careful Severus," Lucius drawled before turning to go straight into the heart of the battle to look for his family.

"You as well my friend," Severus said as he quickly strode down towards the boathouse.

Lucius nodded his head knowing that he had delayed Severus long enough and he hoped his friend wouldn't be tortured as well.

****S&H****

"Ah, Severus how good of you to come so quickly," Voldemort said as if it was just an everyday calling of one of his servants. He was very pleased with his resistance so far. It wouldn't be long until Potter sought him out on his own. His plans were so carefully construed that not even if Potter succeeded in defeating him would he die.

"My Lord," Severus said with a slight bow not looking his master in the eye. "The resistance is crumbling…" Severus started making sure his Occulemency shields were firmly in place. Hoping the pyschomanic would hurry up and do whatever or ask whatever, he didn't care what it was as long as the bastard hurried up so he could find Potter to give him the last bit of information he needed to know.

"And it is doing so without your help." Voldemort declared dispassionately. Every drop of magical blood dropped was such a waste. They needed every ounce of magical blood in order to sustain their pureblood supremacy. He saw now that Mudbloods would help insure the survival of the wizarding world by slavery and breeding. "Skilled wizard though you are Severus, I don't think you will make much difference now. We are almost there….almost," Voldemort said almost with gleeful triumph, as he studied his wand curiously.

"Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, My Lord, please," Severus implored without an ounce of emotion showing on his face and in his voice. He needed to find Potter to tell him….He didn't want to tell the boy but he had to or else everything else the Light had done would be in vain. Lily's death would be for naught if he didn't tell her son the last thing he needed to know to defeat the pyschomaniac in front of him.

"Why does it not work for me Severus," Voldemort questioned staring at his wand.

It took Severus a second of confusion to finally understand what Voldemort was saying. "You have performed extraordinary magic with this wand, my Lord. In the last few hours alone," Severus pointed out knowing perfectly well why the wand was not really replying to his master because Lord Voldemort wasn't the master of the Elder Wand anymore than he was. Draco was the master of the Elder Wand having disarmed Dumbledore that night on Astronomy Tower.

"No. No. I am extraordinary, but the wand resists me." Voldemort insisted.

Snape rolled his eyes internally at the cocky arrogance that Voldemort possessed, as he watched the madman stroll around the boathouse like he was the bloody king of England. "There is no wand more powerful. Ollivander, himself, said it," Severus pointed out wondering briefly if the rest of the hallows actually existed as well. Well obviously Potter had the invisibility cloak and Dumbledore obviously owned the Elder wand. "Tonight, when the boy comes it will not fail you, I'm sure of it." Severus said confidently although he was even more confident that the wand would fail his master and once and for all the bloody bastard would be dead. "It answers to you and only you," Severus said on tainted breath.

"Does it?" Voldemort questioned as he released Nagini from her magical sphere to slither around.

"My Lord," Severus said questionably knowing almost without a doubt what was to come. Luckily he had thought in advance and made an antivenom potion mixed with phoenix tears. But had he taken it in enough time for it to actually work. Or had he taken it too early?

"The wand, does it truly answer to me? You're a clever man, Severus. Surely you must know. Where does it's true loyalty lie?" Voldemort sneered out hissingly.

"With you. Of course, my Lord," he said, wondering if Voldemort was going to act like his estranged lover by playing with his food before killing it.

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the Wizard who killed its last owner." Voldemort lectured. "You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine." Voldemort said giving his revelation time to sink in.

Severus said nothing but tensed his body while appearing to be relaxed. If Voldemort wanted to believe the wand was his then who was he to correct him. Severus wasn't about to point out the fact that Draco had defeated Albus and disarmed him before he killed the old man. He wasn't going to send this maniac after his godson. He'd die first which looked like it was about to happen now anyways. Severus Snape wasn't a stupid man by any means he knew at some point Voldemort would draw to this conclusion and he was more than prepared to let that happen.

"You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus. But only I can live forever."

"My Lord," Severus said questionably when he saw Voldemort coming closer towards him. He had barely gotten the last word out before his throat was slashed and that ruddy bloody snake was lunging herself at his neck.

****S&H****

He did it, he thought as he watched Potter, Weasley and Granger disappearing from the boathouse. Hopefully Potter wouldn't be a fool and go to the Forrest without looking in the pensive first. He had only acted like he had died on the boy to get him to move it wasn't good for him to be hanging around the boathouse only minutes after the Dark Lord had just left. But Severus knew that Potter had Lily's heart from the beginning and knew he would feel compelled to try and save him. He had to force him to leave before the venom took over all his functions.

He didn't know how long he laid there unable to garner the strength to pour the vial of phoenix tears over the wound to close it up. He could feel the potion he had concocted to help just in case the Dark Lord allowed his snake to finish him off working from the inside out causing the throbbing pain. He buried himself in his mind behind his walls to keep the pain at bay trying desperately to think of more pleasant memories.

****S&H*****

_**Two weeks later**_

Eileen Snape walked into her quaint little home in Monument Valley, Utah. It was her own piece of heaven since she had fled England. She laid her floppy straw gardening hat on the table in the mudroom before heading into her brightly colored yellow kitchen. It reminded her of yellow finches and sunflowers all at once. It was such a sharp contrast to her house in England, yet it wasn't a blank canvass like the cottage in Aberdeen. It was simply hers. Tobias, her departed husband, had never allowed her to decorate or to create a home out of the dark looming house in Cokeworth.

She had been stupid and terribly naïve when she rushed headlong into marrying Tobias Snape. For years she had put up with the anguish Tobias had caused her never questioning it. Believing it was due after what happened with her one and only true love. If she had known that _he_ would have reacted that way to her consorting with Muggles she never would have told him about Tobias, but when _he _just left her standing there in that blank canvass of a cottage it had broken her heart and she ran straight to Tobias after two weeks in paradise.

The years of mental, physical and emotional control he held over her was exhausting. She had been disowned by her father, for even daring to marry a Muggle and not some well off wizard. She had turned her back on her magic just like her cousin Isobel did, mainly because of International Secrecy, but also she wasn't sure how Tobias would react and she was infatuated with him. She couldn't say she loved him, but in her own way she cared for him.

It had taken years to realize he had broken her soul and spirit. Granted the first year of their marriage had been wonderful. Shortly after their wedding she had learned she was pregnant with her son Severus. The only good thing to come out of her marriage to Tobias. Tobias had been the devoted husband and father until Severus started showing his magical talents. Eileen had hidden the fact from Tobias for as long as she could, until she finally had to tell him the truth. Thinking Tobias would be like Isobel's husband Robert was a mistake. He had beaten her so badly that she fled back to the wizarding world with Severus, well to her best friend and cousin Minerva's house. She had thought about leaving Tobias then but the wizarding world was very strict and she didn't have no any choice but to go back to Tobias and take his abuse because without him she would be desolate with a child to care for. Nobody in the wizarding world would hire her because she had been disowned and in the Muggle world divorce was heard of but uncommon. Eileen could have gone to work for Albus and Minerva but it just felt like another handout. She didn't want handouts and she wasn't about to ruin their social standing for offering her help. She couldn't get a divorce and be accepted in the wizarding world because it simply wasn't done in their world. So she had went back to Tobias and took everything like a good little wife. And take it she did like a good little wife until Severus turned eleven and got his Hogwarts letter. She had protected Severus as much as she could but there was no way she could stop the verbal or emotional abuse Tobias doled out to his son. It wasn't until Severus was thirteen, and he stepped in on one of the many times that Tobias was beating her, which left them both in a bloody mess. After Severus turned sixteen and had stood up to his father, nearly beating Tobias to a bloody pulp after he had beaten her an inch within her life she found the courage to leave. But not til after she extracted her own justices on Tobias. It had taken Severus to show her just how broken she was. That last beating had been detrimental in her leaving but so had other things. The death of her grandfather, her parents reappearance in her life (only because she was the only one of her siblings to have a magical child and not a squib leaving Severus the only male heir to the Prince fortune.), Severus standing up to Tobias, her dear Muggle friend Jane Wiseman dying at the hands of her husband and leaving three small children behind, and her oldest and dearest and second friend, in the wizarding world, her first love saying goodbye because she wouldn't leave her husband, which was stupid because it was him that had sent her running headlong into a loveless marriage with Tobias all because he had rejected her first. Knowing she lost her only remaining ties to the wizarding world, she had run out of places to go and hide until the bruises faded and bones healed. It was all enough to wake her up out of her daze. She had fled with only four people knowing the truth of her whereabouts: her parents, Minerva McGonagall her cousin and her son.

After fleeing from England, it had taken some time for her to heal. Once she had finally healed she found out that she had missed living in the wizarding world. Oh she had visited in between beatings to heal and to assert Severus into their world better, but visiting wasn't the same as living. As she stayed at her parents' house recovering she realized she needed a clean break and a fresh start so she had left her homeland behind and traveled to the States.

She had traveled to Salem thinking she would like it there but it had just reminded her of home, so she had drifted south and found she liked it except for the heat, then she traveled west and found her little secluded village nestled in Monument Valley. Coven Valley was quiet and peaceful but most importantly it was unplottable. She had fallen in love with it almost immediately. It had only taken her a few weeks before she had found her little cottage.

Eden's Edge, was completely her heaven. Everything Tobias had forbidden her to do she was able to do it here, hence the bright yellow paint in the kitchen. She pulled off her gardening gloves and laid them beside her floppy straw hat, just another thing she had done without because it had displeased Tobias. Well she didn't have to worry about it now.

Pulling the pitcher of ice tea out of her fridge, she poured herself a glass downing almost half the contents to quench her parched throat, before she headed into her very bright and homey living room.

Her living room was decoratively furnished in plush creams and hunter green coloring with the oak stained wood gave it the natural woodsy feeling that she loved. There cattycornered in front of the bay window and by the fireplace was her writing desk. The post was already on the corner of the desk. She looked over at her owl Apollo sitting on his perch eating one of his treats.

"I see you're helping yourself now, huh Apollo," she said stroking Apollo's golden brown feathers. "And you even shut the window to keep those pesky lizards out." She cooed sitting her glass of tea down on the coaster she picked up the paper, Wizarding World Today the American equivalent of the Daily Prophet in all ways. At least Rita Skeeter wasn't one of their reporters, but Gaula McAfee was just as bad as Skeeter you could hardly believe a word of it. Picking up her tea to take another sip she flipped it over to read the morning's headline, and then like one of those Muggle horror films she had seen her glass of tea tumbled to the floor forgotten as she stared at the headline. _**Voldemort Defeated.**_

Eileen clung to the paper tightly with both hands as she read the article. She had read all about the fall of Bloody Albus Dumbledore a year prior not wanting to believe her son could have committed such a horrendous crime. Of course her letter from her cousin Minerva said it was true all because Potter had said so. She hadn't liked Albus from the first time she met him and years added more to the hatred she felt for the man. He always goaded her about her past mistake, the one she regretted most. But even in her hatred she hadn't wanted to hear about his death. Of course America's wizarding world was only too aware of the rise of Voldemort, since they were still slightly ruled by the Ministry of Magic in London. It was one of the first things she had learned upon her move here. The Wizengamot, in the United State was primarily of at least two elected officials from each state. While the rules and regulations were the same as the London Ministry it was a little more lax. So even with the rise of Voldemort the American Wizarding world hadn't been affected other than by news. Of course most of the American wizards had family members in London so they were a little more concerned with the rise of Voldemort.

She had been heartbroken when she had learned of her son taking the Dark Mark. She just couldn't for the life of her fathom why Severus would ever take the mark considering his parentage. But now with the fall of Voldemort she was only concerned about her son._Was he all right? Was he safe? Was he dead? No…No…she would know if her son was dead. Minerva would have sent a Patronus, despite Severus supposedly killing Albus Dumbledore._

A tap against her window alerted her to another owl. She quickly threw open the window as the owl perched itself down on her desk hopping from foot to foot grasping the envelope with one talon. She quickly paid the owl for his services with a mouse. She nearly fainted dead away upon seeing the red Hogwarts seal. Minerva was writing her it could only mean something had happened to Severus.

_Dear Eileen, _

_I hate to have to write you under such circumstances but I thought you should know that Severus has been seriously injured and his chances of survival are slim. He needs you here Eileen, even if he would vehemently deny it. You are his mother and I think it only right that you be here. I will be waiting to hear from you and if there are any changes in Severus's condition I will keep you abreast._

_Your cousin,_

_Minerva _

"Oh my poor baby," Eileen sobbed out clutching the letter tightly to her chest as if that act alone could transmit her strength and magic to her son as she collapsed onto the overly fluffy couch and cried like she hadn't cried in almost twenty years.

****S&H****

Severus Snape laid on the narrow hospital cot at St. Mungo's in the Dai Llewelly Ward, in the most private room they had. He gradually opened his eyes and was surprised to see nothing but white all around him. _Had he died and this was what heaven looked like? _He couldn't believe his potion hadn't worked, but perhaps he had taken it too soon and the effects had been almost out of his system before the attack. _Oh well, _ he mused as he studied the brightly lit white corridor with intense peacefulness washing over him. He had done what he had set out to do. He had protected Potter and his godson til his death. He hoped they both managed to put the sadistic bastard in his place in hell for good this time.

He suddenly felt compelled to walk along the white corridor towards the bright light, like a ray of sunshine shining down on what appeared to be a wooden door. Well it certainly wasn't the wrought iron pearly gates he was expecting but then again he didn't even think he would make it to heaven. Perhaps he wasn't walking towards the Garden of Eden but towards the circles of hell instead. After all he hadn't done what his Muggle church bearing had brought him up to believe either by cloaking his sins. No he paid for his sins every day for the past twenty years by listening to the sadistic bastard and a manipulating old fool.

Perhaps this was a limbo land allowing him one more chance to cloak his sins so to speak because of how he died. He had a lot of sins to repent, but none that he wouldn't do over again if he had too. Ok that wasn't exactly truthful he would repent the darker sins, because it had been extreme torture to witness those ghastly things unable to do anything but participate in the foulest method, unable to help the victim without getting them both killed. Sometimes it was worse knowing he couldn't even give their families a little peace of mind by allowing them to bury their love ones. But out of respect for the victim he had been unable to allow their families to see their desecrated bodies. That had to count for something didn't it. He thought as he stood before the wooden door. He pushed open the door that only revealed a vail like doorway. He didn't want to go through the door yet, he wasn't ready to see if he landed in heaven or hell yet. He stood there and tried to take a step backwards only to feel the hard wall of the corridor against his back. In fact the whole corridor had started to close in on him pushing him towards the door's opening unwillingly. Then he was falling in a downward spiral completely out of control.

****S&H****

It was a beautiful spring day, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping, and it was comfortable enough to sit outside on the plaza with only a jumper, all in all it was a glorious day. The girl that sat outside on the plaza of the little café that sat beside St. Mungo's hospital, drinking her mocha latte didn't notice it, she was too busy with her nose buried deep in the book she was reading. She wasn't paying attention to the reporters that were swarming around the front doors of St. Mungo's hospital waiting with bated breath for any news on the Death Eater murderer of Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape. They paid the girl no attention as they also waited for the war hero Harry Potter to come out of the hospital. They were no longer allowed inside the hospital to wait outside the Dai Llewelly Ward waiting for news.

The girl paid them no never mind as she read. She wasn't even idly listening to them using their dictation quills to spin their stories of deceit and lies about the monster that resided in the hospital. Of course the reporters paid her no never mind, until she looked up from her reading to take a sip of her latte and one reporter shouted. "There's Hermione Granger," causing all of them to turn towards her and started asking a dozen questions which she refused to answer. The price to be paid for being one of the Golden Trio, friend to Harry Potter, defeater of Voldemort, it was the price of a war hero. Hermione politely refused to acknowledge them as she closed her book on Memory Charms and stood up and headed for the doors of St. Mungo's.

It was her turn to sit with Professor Snape the most awarded war hero in her book. She hadn't meant to pry into the private man's memories but she had trying to understand why Harry would just up and go into the Forbidden Forrest alone. What she had saw had been shocking, but in a weird way it made sense in the logical fashion. And Hermione Granger was logical. She had taken the memories after her viewing and stored them in a vial for safe keeping until either she could return them to her Professor or destroy them. She didn't want to think about destroying them just yet so they were locked away in a safe place that only Harry and herself knew about. It was the only way.

****S&H****

Harry Potter sat in the cushion charmed stiff back chair staring down at his sourly Potions Professor. He was no longer in awe over Snape as he was after viewing Snape's memories. He had never told anybody about the time he accidentality stumbled into the pensive back in fifth year during his Occulemency lesson. He hadn't understood then why Snape had those specific memories out to view but now he did. It was Snape's way of protecting him. A small smile curled to Harry lips as he imagined his normally scowling Professor's face going completely slack jawed at the sight of his mother again.

It had been a miraculous phenomenon at the end of the battle, that nobody could explain, not the Ministry, not Dumbledore, not even those that had been chosen. But right after the battle when all there was left to do was to tend to the wounded burst of lights had started to appear all around the Great Hall. While everyone was still running very high on the adrenaline from the battle, at first they weren't sure if it was another attack or what it was exactly until people stated popping up as if they just apparated right there into the Great Hall. Then it had turned into a whirlwind as they noticed that it was people that were supposed to be dead. It had been weird to watch Professor McGonagall let out a shriek and lunge herself at Albus Dumbledore as if she was half her age. Harry shuddered at the thought, you weren't supposed to see your professors kissing like a couple of hormonal teenagers ever. The next thing he remembered was being surrounded by Sirius, Remus and Tonks who were all smiling brightly then he saw his parents.

After longing for so many years to see his parents to be able to hug them, talk to them he did the only logical thing anybody in his situation would have done he hugged them all. It wasn't until afterwards that he felt guilty.

He didn't feel guilty for having his parents back, never that. He just felt guilty because the undeserved pedestal he had put his parents on wasn't right. He felt guilty because while all the people he cared most about were getting a second chance at life Professor Snape was dead. That was when he remembered Snape. He had torn out of the Great Hall running towards the headmaster's office stumbling upon the debris that was scattered all around. He hadn't noticed that Hermione was right on his tail until she shielded him from one of the stone bricks falling towards him. When they had noticed that Snape's picture wasn't hanging up in the headmaster's office, they had ran out of the headmaster's office towards the boathouse where they had left Snape's body. With Hermione's help they apparated straight to St. Mungo's where he declared Snape a hero and forced the healers to treat Snape with due respect.

So he had spent the last two weeks sitting there keeping vigil over the man he had once despised and had now come to see in a different light. The only times he had left Snape's side were to go grab a quick bite to eat and to spend a few minutes with his parents which seemed more and more to end in with a lot of yelling.

****S&H****

Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall weren't normally an openly affectionate couple, but neither one seemed to care as they wrapped their arms around each other's waist and started down the path to Hogsmead. They were both physically and magically drained trying to get Hogwarts repaired enough for the start of term in September. They were in very much need of a hearty lunch in peace. Of course the first thing that had been repaired was the wards as much to keep out the dark elements but also the press that seemed to follow them everywhere. Because of Albus returning from the dead and Minerva's warm open welcome back. Albus smiled as he glanced over at his wife for thirty some odd years...

_He didn't know what was happening but he was standing in the Great Hall staring at his wife's backside until Pomona pointed him out. The next thing he knew was Minerva was turning and shrieking as she ran across the Great Hall as if she had never had four stunners to the chest last year and with the speed of a woman half her age. He barely had time to open his arms before she was hurling herself at him, then she kissed him with a passion that left them both breathless. As their foreheads rested against each other as they caught their breath he could hear her murmuring that she was so sorry for everything_.

He still wasn't sure why she had been sorry, but none of that mattered now to his way of thinking. He was back and alive and cursed free by some unexplainable miracle. Minerva was back to her former self a couple of days later. She still had to touch him in some fashion but he really couldn't blame her that little indulgence. If it reassured her he'd deal with it. After today she wasn't going to be happy with him. But he couldn't not warn his brother that she would be coming back. Even though they hadn't gotten any confirmation on the matter of her return, Minerva was certain that she would be returning. With that being said he had to warn Aberforth despite them not seeing eye to eye most of the time, Aberforth was still his little brother and he had to protect him. Eileen Prince was bad news.

Albus looked over at Minerva who was starting to lean heavily against his side. He didn't know what his wife saw in her cousin, that compelled Minerva to have such faith in Eileen. There was something there that Minerva never shared with him, but she and Eileen shared it since their Hogwarts years. He had a feeling he knew what it was. It had brought him and Aberforth closer in their relationship only to destroy it later. He blamed Eileen for breaking Aberforth's heart, while Minerva refused to abandon her cousin. It had caused a rift in their marriage, but he couldn't tell Minerva to turn her back on Eileen after seeing what her husband had done to her. He just avoided Eileen as much as possible, and warned his brother when she was at their house visiting. It was the least he could do with the secret he had carried for the last thirty-seven years.

****S&H****

Minerva leaned heavily against her husband's side, enjoying the feel of his arm around her. She felt very protected and secure once again after a long horrible year. She knew the reason they were going to Hogsmead to the Hog's Head to eat lunch instead of staying at Hogwarts and letting the elves serve them. Albus wanted to tell Aberforth about Eileen coming back. She couldn't deny Albus warning his brother but she just wished the press would leave them alone to enjoy one meal in peace. They couldn't even go to their home because of the reporters stalking them, and their rooms at the castle weren't suitable to stay in at the moment. Granted though while they were repairing the wards they had stayed at Hogwarts to make sure nothing happened but sleep hadn't been as forthcoming as it used to be. Every noise made both of them twitch with anticipation. And though the first couple of nights after Albus's return they had stayed at the house until the reporters camped out just outside their wards but close enough to see everything and hear everything with extended ears. While Albus didn't ward against those blasted things was beyond her, but considering Albus was still a child at heart it made sense. And one night staying at Aberforth's and being woken up by his pet goat Greta was enough to make sure she wouldn't be coming back to sleep. And last night they spent the night at her brother Robert's house with him watching his grandkids. The screaming and crying six month old Maggie May did nothing for her nerves and watching six year old Robbie flying on his broom was enough to make her depressed. Albus had been smart by whisking her away before the tears had started to fall. Albus claimed he had a plan for tonight, but she couldn't stop the dread that formed in the pit of her stomach. Generally it meant that she wasn't going to like Albus's plan at least in the past it meant that. But as long as the plan didn't involve goats waking them up or children flying on brooms, she could handle it.

She hugged him tight to her side once more as they drew nearer to the Hog's Head. She could see the reporters already crowding around the door. Taking a deep breath she willed her temper under control the closer they got.

"Relax, my dear," Albus said squeezing her hip gently as they started forward towards the door.

She tried to relax just as the reporters started to swarm around them.

_Is it true Professor Dumbledore that you and Professor McGonagall are married and have been for a number of years and if so why has it been kept a secret? Professor Dumbledore what are your feelings toward Professor Snape the man who murdered you? Will you be returning to Hogwarts as headmaster? You undoubtedly have been examined by a healer since your return. Are there any ill effects from your death and resurrection? What was it like being dead, Professor? Professor McGonagall what was your first thought upon seeing your husband again? Did you think you were seeing his ghost? How has this experience changed your outlook? Has it made you want to make this second chance meaningful in some way and not take it for granted? _

"Get away from here you damn bloody vultures," Aberforth said from the doorway as Albus ushered Minerva inside ahead of him.

****S&H****

Aberforth Dumbledore ushered his sister-in-law quickly into the back private rooms that were warded against reporters. He stared at Minerva curiously wondering why her and Albus had dared to venture out of the castle. "Why are you here Albus?" Aberforth asked without preamble once Albus walked in the room and shut the door behind him.

"We were hungry," Albus deadpanned.

"Well it's not my cooking that brought you down here. The Malfoys could cook better than myself," Aberforth said looking at Minerva and watching her wring her hands after she gave him half of a cracked smiled.

"Very well then, Eileen's coming back to London because of Severus," Albus said watching his brother closely for any reaction.

Aberforth stopped pouring the tea he was pouring for Minerva almost immediately as his walls came up and his face devoided itself of all emotion. Eileen was coming back to London. "Why should I care," Aberforth forced himself to say. "It's not like we run in the same circles. I'm sure I won't be running into her." Aberforth said knowing he wasn't going to go seek her out. He didn't want to see her again.

Albus studied his brother. It was remarkably uncanny how fast Aberforth shut everything down at just the mention of _her. _Once again Albus was forcing himself to squashed down the urge to shout at his brother that the witch wasn't worth it that she kept a very important secret from him. If he acted on his impulses he'd not only hurt his brother but Minerva as well. While he would recover from Aberforth's anger he wasn't sure he could handle another one of Minerva's temper tantrums of this magnitude. The last one almost killed him and that was thirty-seven years ago. And it had taken nearly twenty-six years to recover from that travesty. He just hoped his plan tonight wasn't going to cost him another twenty-six years.

Aberforth gently probed his brother's mind just skimming the outer surfaces. What was this secret that would cause Albus to be so worried about his and Minerva's reaction. Without bothering to probe farther Aberforth slipped silently from Albus's mind and stared at his brother trying to figure out the puzzle when it hit him like a ton of bricks. They were talking about Eileen coming back and Albus started thinking about the secret and Minerva's reaction and his. "You bastard," Aberforth growled out hauling back a meaty fist and punching his brother square in the nose breaking it once again.

****S&H****

Ron Weasley sat there leaning up against the headboard of the bed that wasn't his. No he was once again in Lavender Brown's bed. He hadn't meant for it to happen, but he wasn't sorry that it did either. Ever since the fall of Voldemort and Hermione's rejection about going to the next level in their relationship, he had been in Lavender's bed or her in his. He looked over at the sleeping blonde, feeling a tender spot inside his heart grow at how right it felt waking up with Lavender. He never felt this way with Hermione ever. But she was the one he was dating, if you could call it that. He hadn't seen her since the final battle when he tried to get her to have sex with him. Maybe he had been pushing it because of the high the battle gave him. It had seemed like the next step anyways so why'd they have to put it off. _Oh that's right because it was Hermione, _he mused. Hermione, who had to study a thing to death instead of just acting. Granted her studying had probably kept them all alive more times than not but when was she going to stop studying and start feeling things. Maybe once she got back from finding her parents.

That was another thing that irked him, she had told Harry before she took off but she didn't tell him. She didn't even ask if he wanted to come along. He could understand why she would have refused Harry, considering his parents were alive now, but she didn't even let him have the chance to offer, and it still stung. He may not be the brightest but he could have helped find them. He was tired of trying to outgrow his brothers' shadows. Bill was a curse breaker, Charlie worked with dragons, Percy worked for the Ministry, Fred and George owned and operated their own business. What was there left for him to do. His parents wanted him to join the Aura program but he wasn't sure he wanted to do that. He liked Quidditch but he didn't want to play it for the rest of his life either and Ginny was better at Quidditch than him anyways. The only thing he was really good at that he excelled in better than his brothers and sister was wizard's chess, and you couldn't make that a profession. It always felt like he was having to live up to somebody else's shadow but with Lavender he could be just him.

He regretted dating her during their fifth year, but only because of trying to get Hermione jealous. He didn't really know why he wanted to get Hermione jealous but he had. And it still hadn't gotten him anywhere with Hermione. They were still friends, but just friends that kissed and held hands. Perhaps it was a sign that it was always going be just that friendship between them.

Strange the thought of just being friends with Hermione didn't hurt him like he thought it would. But the thought of not waking up beside Lavender about tore his heart out. He'd rather cut off his arm than leave her. With his mind made up finally he settled down in the bed beside Lavender, wrapping an arm around her waist. He'd owl Hermione saying they needed to talk. He wouldn't break up with her through an owl, he'd do it face to face. He just hoped they could still be friends afterwards because she was his best friend.

****S&H****

Salazar and Aquila Valspartan, stood under the cover of a tall oak tree under the Disillusionment Charm. They had walked along the churned up earth trying to find their graves, but no feeling of connection or the bond they had once shared with their parents gave the slightest hint of where they were buried. It was hopeless searching the anonymous little knoll. In a way it had been comforting to know that their parents' graves wouldn't be desecrated but seeing as how they weren't buried on the little knoll it worried them all the more.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Standard Disclaimers Apply, I'm not making anything from this because lets face it if I were I would be somewhere warmer at the moment instead of sitting with snow up to my bum. I just play in the playground JKR created.**_

_**A/N: Also I feel the need to mention I'm basing my character descriptions on the wonderful actors who helped create the movies. And while I liked Richard Harris's performance I chose to go with Michael Gambon description. Please read and review**_

_**Chapter 2**_

Eileen landed as smoothly as any fifty-six year old woman could while using a port key for the first time in nearly twenty years. She could hear the alarm bells ringing in the background, but paid them no heed as she departed from her port key in search of her next hub to take her to her next destination.

She walked along looking at signs trying to find the one for Kristiansand, Norway. The port key hub in Sprengisandsleio, Iceland was worse than King's Cross station. Port key hubs were filthy too. But she wasn't there to take in the grander of the hub she was there to get to London by the quickest way possible. Her son needed her.

Salem had been a nightmare with all the forms she had to fill out to re-enter England. It was almost as bad as customs in the Muggle airports that she flew on across the states. International crossing was something different in itself. You had to give the reason for you traveling out of country, whether business, medical, or personal. Of course she could have said it was medical but she didn't want to advertise that she was Severus's mother to the public, at least not until she arrived in London. It wasn't that she was ashamed of being Severus's mother, she wasn't, she was proud of her son, but right now the press was a delay she didn't need. And with the mixed reports about him being a hero or the villain it was a chance she wasn't willing to take. All she could think about at the moment was getting to her son and possibly seeing _him_ again.

****S&H****

Severus was free falling through the door with no way to stop himself. There was nothing to grab a hold of to stop himself from falling but strangely enough he wasn't scared, but felt relatively calm at peace with himself, like he was falling into a pensive to view a memory.

He landed with a thud on the hard ground. He looked around trying to figure out where he was when...

"Come on Severus," a little boy voice said.

Severus startled at the voice he hadn't heard in years. He looked around and saw a little boy about six standing over the poorly dressed boy with straight black hair. Severus watched in wonderment as the boy helped his younger self up from the ground.

He was at Safe Haven. He hadn't been here since...well he couldn't remember the last time he had been to this particular house. His mother and him had stopped coming a few months maybe a year after the accident.

"Thanks, Reg," the younger version of himself said looking up at his first best friend ever. "Come on let's go again," young Severus said as he grabbed the broom he had fallen off of and mounted it once more.

"Yeah, we got to practice if were going to be famous Quidditch players," Reg joked as he mounted his broom and they flew around the pitch.

Oh such simpler times, Severus mused as he watched himself flying around the pitch with Reginald Dumbledore. His heart ached watching the memory swirl around him. Reginald had been his best friend. They were practically inseparable, when him and his mother came to the wizarding world to visit. He wondered if Reginald had lived if he still would have chosen the Dark Mark, or if they would still be as close as they were back then. Perhaps they would have been, then again once they had reached Hogwarts maybe become as separated as him and Lily had become. Somehow he doubted that Reginald would have abandoned him, like Lily had.

After watching himself flying for a while he started to fall once again as black silvery swirls started to surround him.

****S&H****

Hermione walked into the private room of Severus Snape and saw Harry sitting there looking glumly at the dark wizard laying in the bed. "How's he doing," Hermione asked quietly, scared of disturbing her sourly professor.

Harry straightened in his chair at the sound of her voice, and as if by instinct alone was up out of the chair with his wand drawn on his friend. He relaxed upon seeing it was just Hermione standing there. "Hermione when did you get back?" he asked suddenly glad to see his friend.

"A little while ago," she lied. She had been back for a day but before she could even bother seeing her best friend she had to collect herself. After arriving back in London, she had gone to her parent's house and cried for hours. Then once she had cried herself to sleep she started scouring her books on Memory Charms looking for something, anything, to counteract the Oblivate she had cast on her parents. Not wanting to think unpleasent thoughts at the moment she shook herself and looked at her best friend. "How is he doing?" she asked again.

"They don't know why he hasn't woken up yet," Harry said.

"So the potion was antivenom," Hermione questioned suddenly curious about the little vials she had found in her professor's robes and in his hand.

"The one in his robes was but he mixed it with something. And the potion in his hand was of the same mixture and they are still trying to figure out what he mixed with the antivenom." Harry informed her.

"He must have known it was coming," Hermione commented.

"He had too," Harry agreed readily. "He's one of the bravest men I've ever known," Harry commented.

Hermione couldn't argue that fact considering that Snape hadn't even flinched or tried to run before the snake attacked him. He had stood there bravely in the face of the worst danger possible without acting like a coward. Of course he had done the same thing as a teenager when faced with the bullying of the Marauders. Yes he was by far the bravest man she knew.

"...They think he's locked inside his mind..." Harry continued unaware of Hermione's thoughts.

Such a brilliant mind, Hermione thought as she looked over at the man in question. She had always admired him for his intellect and wished she could have gotten to know the brains behind the man. Maybe when he wakes up, which she was confident that he would do, she'd be able to know the man.

****S&H****

"Aberforth," Minerva shouted drawing her wand and pointing it right in between her brother-in-law's eyes.

"How could you?" Aberforth shouted unimpeded by Minerva's wand pointed at him. "She was mine," Aberforth shouted stepping towards Albus again.

"Aberforth," Minerva said sternly in her don't even attempt it voice.

"Aberforth, I don't know what you think..." Albus said pulling a handerkerchief from his robes to wipe at the blood spilling from his once again broken nose. "Min, if you'd be so kind," Albus said gesturing to his wife for her to fix the break.

"Episkey," Minerva said clearly as she pointed her wand at her husband's broken nose hearing the bone and cartilage snapping back into place with a resounding snap.

Albus wiped his nose once more before he looked at his enraged brother. "That's twice you've broken my nose over something when I have no idea as to why." Albus said calmly.

"You had it coming," Aberforth said. "How could you do it Albus, you knew..." Aberforth said brokenly as he stared at his brother.

"How could I do what?" Albus asked looking at his brother confused.

"Eileen," Aberforth said as if that one named summed everything up.

"What about her?"

"You slept with her," Aberforth said. "Why else would you be worried about mine and Minerva's reaction to your little secret?"

Minerva stared at her husband completely flabbergasted and slack jawed. "Albus," she questioned once she recovered her voice.

"It's not true," Albus said feeling the need to deny Aberforth's accusations to Minerva.

"Oh really then what's the secret," Aberforth said knowing he just backed his brother into a corner.

"I have many secrets," Albus said wittingly knowing precisely what his brother was trying to do.

"Albus," Minerva said still finding it hard to fathom that Albus would have slept with Eileen but the way Aberforth was pressing it she was finding the possibility plausible.

"Answer me Albus," Aberforth roared out angrily.

"I can't," Albus replied looking at Minerva trying vainly to express with his eyes not to believe it but the look of doubt in her eyes was enough to break his heart and have him caving to tell them both the secret. Anything to take that look out of her green eyes.

Aberforth watched his brother almost pleading with Minerva to believe his lies once more. He had always known that Albus was good at lying and keeping secrets but he never thought he would do something like this. He never in a million years, not since Albus married Minerva anyways had he ever thought Albus capable of betraying both him and Minerva by sleeping with Eileen. In fact he could have sworn Albus hated Eileen, especially after her son was born. _No Merlin, please not that, _Aberforth thought seeing nothing but red.

Minerva stood there looking questionably at her husband not knowing which Dumbledore to believe at the moment. She knew she should believe her husband without an ounce of doubt but knowing how Aberforth felt about her cousin and the anger he was trying to control she couldn't help but doubting Albus's fidelity. She was just starting to shake her head at Albus needing him to explain.

Albus stood there relieved beyond belief that Minerva was willing to let him explain first. "I..." Albus started only to have his back slammed against the wall by his brother barreling into him like an out of control bludger.

Aberforth's anger finally snapped completely. It should have been him...His son not Albus's. Why did his brother always have to destroy everything good in his life? It wasn't fair. First with their father, then later their mother doted on Albus leaving him the crumbs. Then Ariana had doted unconditionality on him and hated Albus, and Albus had killed her. Then there was Eileen, while he still held out hope that she would leave that dispiciable Muggle husband who liked to beat her and come back to him Albus found out that he was in love with Eileen and still hoping, Albus had tried to warn him about her. He had tried to tell him that she would end up breaking his heart again and she wasn't worth the trouble. If Eileen's son was Albus's illegitimate son, Albus would have plenty of reasons to stop him from pursuing Eileen. It was enough to make Aberforth's heart sick and his blood run cold.

****S&H****

"Do you have to go," Lavender asked leaning up on one elbow while her arm held the pale purple sheet against her breasts and her other arm stroked Ron's pale freckle covered back tenderly.

"Yeah," Ron said pulling his pants up to his knees as he sat there on the edge with just a sheet covering his most private area.

"You could stay a little longer," Lavender said encouragingly. "We could have some more fun," she purred out seductively.

Ron didn't say anything as he stood up and pulled his pants the rest of the way up. "What is this Lav," he questioned seriously.

"What do you mean?" Lavender asked tilting her head to one side.

"Is this just sex, a fling or do you want to have a relationship again," Ron asked with all seriousness.

"Ron you know perfectly well a relationship isn't possible," Lavender said twirling one of her blonde curls in between her fingers nervously.

"Why not?" Ron asked looking at her.

"Because of these," Lavender said huffily letting her glamour fall as she moved to sit on her knees letting the sheet fall from her naked body. She reached a hand around to grab her hair and to pull it away from her neck, showing Ron the teeth marks on her neck, where Fenrir Greyback had bitten her.

"What about them," Ron said not seeing the problem. So what if she had gotten bitten by Greyback. He wasn't transformed so it wasn't likely that she would be a werewolf, she'd be more like his brother Bill and just have a few signs of Lycanthropy.

"What about them..." Lavender screeched at the top of her lungs. "They're hideous and gross and because I'm..."

"They're not hideous and they aren't gross. And he wasn't in transformation when he bit you. The only thing is that you'll crave a little redder meat and be restless when there's a full moon." Ron said. "And it's obvious I don't find you hideous, you're the most beautiful woman I know," Ron said roughly and firmly as he cupped Lavender's face tenderly in his beefy hands.

"You really think I'm beautiful?" Lavender asked sheepishly.

"Yes," Ron said smiling timidly at her.

"And these don't bother you," Lavender said lifting her hair away from the bite marks to force him to look at them.

"Well of course they bother me," Ron said watching her drop her hair back to cover them and the disappointment cross her eyes."But not in a disgusting sort of way." he added hastily.

"Oh," Lavender said wearily.

"I'm sorry you got them. I'm sorry Mione only got off a Stinging Hex after it happened but not before. That's why they bother me." Ron said wondering when he got so insightful.

"Oh," Lavender said in a shocked whisper.

"Now, would you like to try a relationship between us again?" Ron asked.

"I'd like that," Lavender answered nodding her head vigorously.

"So would I," Ron said remembering their fifth year. "But promise me, you won't call me Won-Won," he said smiling.

"As long as you don't call me Lavy-Poo," Lavender said giggling.

"Deal." Ron agreed leaning in to kiss her, when another memory flashed behind his eyes. "One more thing," he said pulling back from their kiss.

"What," Lavender said, running her fingers through his hair as she tried to pull him closer.

"Hermione," Ron said watching Lavender carefully for a reaction to Hermione's name. Hermione and Lavender weren't the best of friends, not that they ever had been, but Hermione was his friend and would always be part of his life. At least he hoped they continued to be best friends and a part of each other's lives.

"What about her?" Lavender asked.

"She's my friend, one of my best friends outside of Harry, and she's always going to be part of my life..."

"Ronald Weasley," Lavender said sharply. "Let's get one thing clear right now," Lavender said firmly. "What happened between us during fifth year was nothing more than a childish relationship, and we can't base this relationship on that one," Lavender said firmly.

"That I can agree to," Ron interrupted her.

"Good," Lavender said kissing him and pulling him back down into bed with her again.

****S&H****

Ginny Weasley sat down on her bed at the Burrow, trying to sort out what had happened and what was happening between her and Harry. Granted there wasn't much happening between them right at the moment, and that was what was confusing her. They had kissed right at the start of the battle, but nothing else. Not even another kiss at the end of the battle, Harry hadn't even tried to contact her since he had seen she was alive and well. She knew and understood he had a lot to deal with, what with his parents, and Sirius coming back to life along with Remus and Tonks. She was having to deal with Fred coming back to life, but she hadn't cut herself off from her friends. She had been helping along with Luna and Neville on restoring Hogwarts. She just wasn't sure what was going on with Harry. Was it just temporary? Was this the end for them without even beginning. She sure hoped it wasn't she understood him pushing her away while Voldemort lived, well at first she hadn't until her and Hermione's heart felt little chat one night right after her and Terry had broken up. Maybe Hermione would know what was going on. Speaking of Hermione where was she hiding? Ginny wondered, remembering she thought it was odd that Hermione and Harry had both been absent while most students and Order members were busy trying to restore Hogwarts. Surely there wasn't something going on between the two...

****S&H****

James Potter sat there on the lounge in the sitting room at number twelve Grimmauld Place beside his wife Lily, who was playing with his hand, and his best mate Sirius Black, who was deep in his own thoughts. It was finally official they were all declared alive today by the Ministry. It had taken a substantial amount of time to get things back in order, but the wait was going to be well worth it in the end. Him and Lily would finally be able to go back to their home in Godric's Hollow. Once there he was sure that Harry would come around and they could be a family.

It was nice staying with Sirius, and the only objection was the portrait of Mrs. Black, but no matter what they tried they couldn't banish her to the attic where she belonged, not even elf magic worked to undo the Sticking Charms. But James wanted his own home again and wanted his son back.

He still didn't understand how Harry could be so cold and distant towards him and Lily. He was even that way with Sirius, which after hearing Sirius sputter on and on about how great of a son Harry was it didn't make sense why they were all suddenly being treated like outcasts, while the bloody vain of his existence Severus Snape was being treated like a bloody king. It made no senses why after hearing how Snape treated Harry, that Harry would suddenly feel all compassionate towards Snape. When he had tried to find out why all of the sudden his son had done a three sixty in regards to Snape, all Harry had said was that he ought to know why. For the life of him James couldn't understand what Harry had meant. Of course James couldn't understand why he was better friends with Hermione Granger than Ron Weasley either. When he had finally gave into his suspicions and asked Harry straight out if there was something going on between him and Hermione, Harry had denied everything saying she was his best friend and he only saw her as a sister type. Which prompted him to ask if Harry was gay, which Harry firmly denied. Of course that had only prompted more questions like was there anyone who he was interested in. Harry's only answer had been yes and he was going to be late to sit with Snape. Now it seemed like every time James tried to understand and get to know his son, Harry was constantly running off to the hospital to sit with Snape which resulted in them shouting at each other. James had even gone so far as to forbid Harry from going to Snape's side only to have Harry shout at him that what he said didn't matter. That had hurt James far worse than anything else Harry could have said to him. Just the thought of knowing his son preferred Snape's company to him filled him with disgust, and heartache and made him feel as if he had failed his son as a father. So he sat quietly contemplating on just how he could get his son back.

****S&H****

Lily sat there on the lounge idly entwining her fingers with James's as they sat there shoulder to shoulder. _Well things certainly aren't turning out the way I thought they would. I guess I thought that when James and I came back we could pick up where we left off. _ But they had been alive for almost two weeks and he hadn't done anything more than kiss her on the cheek. Perhaps he was worried about what might happen, she mused. It wasn't like she wasn't scared that this would all disappear again or worse yet Voldemort would come back and take it all away again. She just wanted so much to have a second chance at being a mother to Harry but apparently Harry had other ideas. He wasn't letting her mother him, not that he required much mothering now anyways, but still he was a little too guarded. It wasn't that she was faulting him for wanting to help look after Severus but at the same time she didn't want him to let it consume him either. Harry had barely taken time to spend more than a few minutes with James and her. It was wonderful in a sense but as soon as Harry brought up that he was going to go see Severus, the yelling match between father and son ensued. She knew James still had no use for Severus and she didn't anymore either but that was beside the point. She could only comment on what she knew/ remembered. That was another thing that was still unexplainable. Those that had come back to life so to speak could remember everything that happened up until their deaths, but they couldn't remember the afterlife's world per say. She could remember launching out of Voldemort's wand to protect her son during his Triwizarding Tournament. But then again blood bonds, curses and spells were highly powerful spells, so it seemed as no surprise. She could see what Harry was doing like she was right there beside him but not. She thought she had a good gauge of how Harry felt towards Severus, but apparently she was wrong or Severus had done something to change that opinion. It just baffled her to no extent as to why Harry would suddenly declare Severus a hero and spend so much time at Severus's bedside. She was glad Severus wasn't alone, considering he had no one in his life, but the way Harry defended him was something different. Dumbledore was another thing confusing her. Severus had murdered the man, but Dumbledore still remained loyal to Severus. None of it made any sense but all she wanted at the moment was a chance to know and understand her son.

She saw him as her baby in much desperate need of love and support, but she didn't know how to give it to him. She didn't really know anything about the man he had grown up to be. Nothing of his inner turmoil. She knew next to nothing about her son. She never got the chance to know him, not that she would have changed anything. She's still die for her son's protection, she'd still fight for him to the bitter end, but that was her job as a mother. She just felt like an outsider looking in on her son's life. She didn't even know the answers to the simplest questions, what was his favorite thing to eat, what his favorite color was, questions a mother should know the answer too. If only she could go back in time to where they put their safety and lives into the wrong person. Then maybe her and James could have had a chance to know their son. Who knew maybe they could have even been a brother or sister or both by now. _We all missed out on so much! Or did we? Why couldn't James and I have another baby? Then we could experience all the things we missed out on with Harry! That's the answer! I'm going to get pregnant again and this time nothing and no one is going to stop us from being a family!_

_****S&H****_

Sirius sat there in front of the fire so lost in his thoughts that he hardly realized that James and Lily were there in the sitting room as well.

He couldn't believe Harry was acting so differently from the boy he had known. Granted it had only been a short time that he had actually known Harry but he felt as if he had some understanding of how Harry felt and thought. How could Harry suddenly believe Snivellus to be this fine upstanding pillar of whatever you wanted to call it. Harry had always despised Snivellus just like he and James had. Harry always seemed to take great pleasure in the stories he had told him about the things they had done to Snivellus during their childhood. What had happened in the last the two years after he had slipped into the veil? How had Snape hoodwinked Harry so much? Sirius thought he had taught Harry better than this for the short while he was alive. Was there a chance he could get Harry to open up to him again and tell him what the bloody hell was going on? And why now all of a sudden was Harry treating him as if he had Lycanthropy?

****S&H****

So their parents weren't buried anywhere, Salazar thought. It was hard to believe that not just one but both their parents had been blown to bits. Well that wasn't exactly true according to the rumor mill. Their mother had been blown to bits, their father on the other hand had been turned to dust. Well he knew one thing for sure he'd get those that had killed his parents. By the time he was finished with them they'd be begging for death.

Salazar looked over at his sister who was sitting quietly twisting her ringlet curl around her finger as she bit her nail to keep from lashing out at those that spoke against their parents. He was glad they had put the Glamour and Transfigure charms in place on their appearence. Before coming here to search it was clear that their reception wouldn't be well received. He was going to have to do some thinking, before he could put his father's contingency plan into motion. "Come sister, we need to go home," he said firmly reaching out to grab Aquilla's elbow firmly in his hand as he stood up.

They walked outside the tavern and quickly disappeared from sight without a trace.

****S&H****

"Forgive me for interrupting Mr. Longbottom," Professor Pomona Sprout said having just interrupted the once quiet shy boy from snogging his girlfriend senseless. "Miss Lovegood," she said seeing the stary eyed girl staring at her as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "I was hoping that I could have a word with you, Mr. Longbottom," Sprout said giving the wizard a small encouraging smile.

"Of course Professor," Nevile said timidly.

"Have you given any thought to what you are going to do," Sprout asked not wanting to beat around the bush now.

"That depends on what the Ministry is planning to do Professor," Neville answered honestly. There had been rumors of all sorts floating around here lately about what was going to happen. Some said that the past year was going to be scratched and the year would be repeated. Then there were the rumors that those who fought in the battle would be getting special treatment by being allowed to take their NEWTS earlier and help with placement in the career of their choice.

"Well I have no idea what the Ministry is planning to do, but I do have something for you to think over," Sprout stated clearly. "I'm wanting to retire here in the next four years," Sprout said. "And I would like to take you on as an apprentice, but if the Ministry deems that this year be scratched and doesn't offer up choice for those effected by the battle, I'd be willing to delay my retirement until such time as you graduate for your apprenticeship. That is if you want to do so," Sprout said looking at the smiling face of Neville Longbottom.

"I would like that very much, Professor," Neville said looking over at Luna who smiled and nodded her head.

"Very well then, I'll have the papers drawn up, and well see what the Ministry does." Sprout said turning around and leaving the smiling couple behind.

Neville couldn't believe his luck. He had just gotten his girl. He had declared his feelings to Luna Lovegood before the battle. They had been snogging like mad here the last couple of days while they helped repair the castle. And today after they had finished with their assigned task he had pulled her down to the greenhouses, where he had set up a romantic picnic lunch. He had just asked Luna to marry him and she had said yes. Now Professor Sprout had just offered him the apprenticeship of his dreams. He looked over at Luna who was still smiling. "I'm not dreaming am I," he asked.

"No definitely not dreaming." Luna said holding up her left hand where the beautiful rose quartz surrounded by diamonds ring sat on her finger. The diamonds glistened in the sunlight. Everything was perfect.

_**A/N: I'll give a cookie to everyone if they can guess who Aquila and Salazar's parents are and what the secret Albus is keeping about Eileen. Please read and review.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Standard Disclaimers Apply. Harry Potter belongs solely to JKR. I just like to play in the sandbox she created.**_

_**A/N: Ok, as of last chapter most if not all major players in this story have been introduced. I do hope you are enjoying reading this so far, please review. Also I do take suggestions into consideration, not guarantee that I will use all that are submitted. Also I added a little Van Helsing movie as a visual for a passage way mention in Aquila's section. Also I would like to congratulate JaneDoh0 for getting the cookie. Sorry the posting is so late, I've had it done for days but technical issues delayed me. **_

_**Chapter 3**_

Cecil Jamal, head of Magical Security Transportation heard the alarm bells going off. He quickly glanced down at his magical clipboard that would alert him to just who and where the alarms had gone off. Seeing the name Eileen Prince highlighted in gold, he headed towards the Greenland port key in order to stop the woman from traveling farther and completely draining herself of her magic. He walked into the Greenland Hub station just as the alarm bells stopped their screeching. Eileen Prince was gone; it was the only way to stop the bells. She must have been in a hurry to get where she was going considering she had just arrived no more than five minutes earlier. Cecil hoped she didn't drain herself too much which just went to prove his thought that they needed more security at these hubs to keep accidents like magical depletion from happening to other wizards and witches. Well Eileen Prince was no longer his problem she was the next magical security guard's problem to contend with.

****S&H****

Eileen landed with a pop in Kristensand, Norway. Her journey was almost over; just one more port key travel a quick apparition and she'd be there.

However Magical Security in Norway was a lot better prepared than that in the hub in Iceland. Jameson Jeffers was waiting outside the doors of the Iceland portal when the alarm bells started. He quickly stepped inside the port key room and held up a hand. "Please remain where you are until the bells have stopped." He said roughly and firmly.

Eileen scowled at the delay however was she going to reach her son this way she wondered as she started to pace the confines of the little room. She had to get to Severus, she didn't have time for the delay, but she couldn't apparate either thanks to the anti-apparition jinx. Sometimes she wondered if some places were just a little too cautious anymore.

****S&H****

Severus drifted from one memory to another filled with Reginald Dumbledore and himself playing. It was sort of weird watching a younger version of him playing wizard's chess with his cousin, who also happened to be kicking his arse. It was a wonder he had actually gotten any good at the game, considering how bad he was playing at the given moment. Then he heard it...

_"He hit her again," young Severus said callously moving his queen to B4. _

_"Why does your Dad do such mean things to you and your mum," Reg asked curiously letting the slip of the Queen's move go uncountered._

_"I don't know, he calls us both freaks," young Severus said, while the older Severus hated how his voice cracked with emotion. "I wish my dad acted like your dad or Uncle Abe," Severus said._

_"Uncle Abe would make a good daddy," Reg said thoughtfully. _

_"Yeah he's fun," young Severus said._

_He must have been referring to Aberforth Dumbledore to be calling him Uncle Abe. Funny Severus didn't remember Aberforth treating him anyway other than with distain. He stood there when two figures caught his older eye, he moved to where he could still see Reg and himself playing chess but see the other two figures as well. Severus was shocked to see that the two figures were none other than Aberforth Dumbledore and his mother. It wasn't just the fact that it was them it was more of the way they were talking. He couldn't make out the words because obviously his younger version was unaware of what they were saying. He deduced that they were talking about him and Reg from the way his mother was pointing at them playing chess. Then it struck him he had never seen his mother this animated before. Obviously whatever they were discussing it seemed rather important to her. Then he noticed the scowl on Aberforth's face, before he obviously shouted something at his mother and stormed off in the direction away from the boys and disappeared, leaving a distraught Eileen Prince behind whom quickly hid her emotions and walked over towards the boys. "Come along Sev, we need to go back," Eileen said softly but firmly._

_"I want to stay here Mum," young Severus said._

_"I know you do, but we can't. We'll come back and you can play with Reg then," Eileen said hiding the one lone tear that rolled down her cheek from the younger version but not the older Severus. _

Severus felt the memory shifting once again, and immediately once it settled he knew where he was. He didn't want to remember this day; he didn't want to see what had happened because he already knew what happened. Yet he watched with fascination as the man dressed in black walked up to the two boys who were flying around on their brooms.

He didn't make a sound as he stared at the young Tom Riddle standing before him. He wasn't the Dark Lord Severus had come to know without a nose and two red slits for eyes. No here he had brown eyes and a nose and was very much mortal. If only the six year old Severus knew just who he was dealing with he would have cast an Unforgivable at the sadist arse. But a six year old Severus had no idea who the man was and just what a threat he was to the wizarding world.

_"Which of you are Albus's boy," Tom asked in an eerily charming way. _A voice the now older Severus knew to be his sweet threatening voice before he attacked.

Severus watched with a knowing heart as Reg bravely and proudly announced that he was Albus's son. With his heart in his throat he watched the Dark Lord cut down his innocent friend before knocking his younger self off his broom as he tried to fly away.

Emotion after emotion rolled on him in big tidal waves. But the most prominent two of all were the feelings of loss and loneliness.

****S&H****

Hermione sat there watching as her normally stoic Potions professor moved restlessly on his cot. She had talked with Harry for a while catching up on everything in the two weeks they'd been separated. She had even gone so far as to call him a childish stubborn arse, when she heard he hadn't been to see Ginny since their kiss. Immediately after she hit him on the arm, she ordered him out to go see Ginny and she would watch over Professor Snape for a while now that she was back.

She felt safer knowing that most of the Death Eaters were rounded up and awaiting trials in the holding cells at Azkaban. Yet she felt sorry for the few young Death Eaters that had been wounded or gravely injured during the battle that had been taken from the hospital about to go to Azkaban, only to be found dead the next day. The Ministry assumed the killings were done by the few slippery Death Eaters that still remained to be captured. At least that was what the Ministry was assuming. Harry wasn't totally convinced and neither was she really. It could be Death Eaters or it could have been grieving families. It sickened her to no end at some of the lengths people were willing to go to sometimes. That was why Harry had been standing guard over Severus for almost two straight weeks. Not that she blamed the grieving families for wanting to seek retribution, but there was a right way and a wrong way to do so. But she agreed with Harry that they needed to select a new Minister and get the trials started. The sooner the trials were over the better. She had been surprised to learn that even Ron and Neville had taken a turn to watch over the most feared professor. Well he didn't look so fearsome now.

Hermione looked to where she had laid her copy of the Daily Prophet on the bedside table. She had read some Muggle's medical journals while waiting for her doctor's appointments, and she seemed to recall one in particular. It was a thesis about whether or not a person in a coma could hear. Most of the test studies seemed to have a firm belief that the coma patients seemed to respond better to treatment when talked too. "Well let's do our own test study, ay Professor," Hermione said flipping open the paper. "Well now that's something news worthy, Kingsley has gotten elected Minister of Magic..." Hermione said as she went onto read the article to Snape.

****S&H****

"What are you doing here," Ginny Weasley demanded as she stared out her bedroom door at a very tired looking Harry Potter.

"This," Harry said firmly taking a step closer and quickly covering her mouth with his, while grabbing the wrist of her wand arm. He might be slow on some things but he wasn't stupid enough to think that an angry Ginny Weasley was a ask questions first hex later type of witch. And an angry Ginny Weasley was a force to be reckoned with.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough to throw her off her game. She had told herself that she was going to stay angry with Harry this time and she wasn't going to fall into a puddle of goo just because he looked her way again.

"I've been waiting weeks to do that." Harry said sheepishly stepping back a step.

"Then why haven't you?" Ginny demanded looking at him.

"I've been at St. Mungo's sitting with Professor Snape." Harry said softly.

"You've what?" Ginny burst out looking at Harry shocked beyond belief.

"Can we sit down, it's rather a long story," Harry said looking at her.

"Of course," Ginny said as if just remembering how tired he looked.

Harry sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed and waited for her to sit down beside him before he started to explain everything that had been happening in his life for the past two weeks.

****S&H****

Ron Weasley walked into the Burrow in a complete daze. He snagged an apple from the basket on the table and took a big bite. He had a lot of thinking to do. How was he going to tell Hermione he didn't want a relationship with her but still wanted to be her friend. _It's not you it's me, _that wouldn't work with Hermione, especially considering he wanted to be with Lavender. Somehow he didn't think _I still love you, I'm just not in love with you, _would work too well either. Knowing Hermione she'd want some kind of explanation as to how he could love her but not be in love with her. Hell he wasn't even sure he could explain it to himself let alone to Hermione. He really needed to do some serious thinking about this. But how do you tell the girl that had been one of your best friends for the last six years that you didn't want to date her anymore without losing her friendship. He really needed to talk to Harry, maybe he could figure it out with Harry's help. Ron walked out of the burrow and quickly apparated to St. Mungo's set on seeing Harry.

****S&H****

Lavender ran the brush over her thoroughly mussed hair and tied her red, gold and black scarf around her hair pinning it back from her eyes, before quickly repairing the damage to her make-up. She needed to get some insight to her relationship with Ron. It might not be new but she wanted to be sure this time as to what it was going to entail. There were only a few people she trusted for some good sage advice about her relationships, Professor Trelawney, Parvati, and Miss Ashley. Miss Ashley was the Muggle tarot card reader that was two blocks away from her house. Since Lavender didn't feel like trying to track down her best friend or Professor she decided to run down to see Miss Ashley. You could never be too sure anymore.

****S&H****

Aberforth didn't give Albus a chance to speak, again. He hit Albus like an out of control bludger. His fists were tangled in Albus's robes as he pinned Albus to the wall holding him there as effectively as a mountain of granite. He gritted his teeth until he thought his jaw was going to snap from the pressure. It would hurt less than his heart was hurting at the moment. All his life he had been in Albus's shadow, but this was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. He could accept the fact that the bastard Tobias Snape had gotten his Eileen pregnant first, because there was still hope. Albus just crushed every remaining shred of hope he had left. He wouldn't live in his brother's shadow not even for the woman he loved more than life itself. "You bastard, how could you Albus?" Aberforth raged feeling the blunt end of Minerva's wand pressed against his neck. But he didn't care if she hexed him to oblivion, he was past caring. Albus had just ripped his heart out with a dull spoon. Couldn't Minerva see the strips of his heart lying on the floor breaking, like glass shattering?

"Aberforth," Minerva said forcibly poking her wand in his neck a little harder.

"He should have been mine," Aberforth choked out shaking convulsively from his rage, his heart breaking all over again. He dropped his hold on Albus's robes and stepped away from his brother. "He should have been mine," Aberforth repeated over and over again. It was like losing Eileen all over again. It stung and the pain crippled him.

"Abe," Albus started, resorting to the childhood nickname out of habit trying to get his brother under control emotionally. He walked over towards the table where his brother stood crumbling against the chair.

"Anybody but you," Abe said roughly.

"Abe..." Albus started.

"GET! OUT!" Aberforth shouted.

"Not until I fix this," Albus said feeling the loss of his brother all over again. It had been something he always regretted, and now that things were starting to get patched between them...Albus just felt the string starting to unravel once more only this time he wasn't sure if Abe would try to hang on.

"YOU CAN'T FIX THIS ALBUS! YOU DESTROYED IT!" Aberforth shouted angrily at his brother. "GET OUT!" Aberforth said roughly.

"Aberforth," Minerva started timidly looking at her brother-in-law with sympathetic eyes.

"Just go Minerva," Aberforth said clenching the back of his chair tighter.

"Come on Min," Albus said grabbing his wife's elbow gently. He knew Aberforth too well. He had to give his brother time to calm down before he tried to explain. Yet how did you explain to your stubborn heartbroken brother that the woman he loved betrayed him in the worst way possible. He doubted Aberforth, would listen any better now than he had thirty- eight years ago.

Minerva let Albus lead her back out into the wolves, anxious to hear the explanation Albus had to offer. They followed a younger looking couple out ahead of them. Minerva would have sworn that the woman in front of them looked like Bellatrix Lestrange but that was impossible. She had seen with her own eyes the evil woman blown to bits by Molly Weasley. Yet she got an eerie feeling in her stomach as she stared at the woman's profile as she talked to the man beside her, right before she felt the pull below her navel as Albus apparated them away.

****S&H****

Neville stared out his bedroom window into the gardens below. He had to be the happiest wizard around. He had the girl of his dreams and she had just agreed to marry him. He'd been offered an apprenticeship in his favorite class Herbology. He couldn't wait to get started on his life. The best part was that his Gran and his parents were supporting him for the apprenticeship. He had arranged a luncheon to announce his engagement to his folks and Gran. He hoped Luna met with their approval but it didn't matter what they all thought. He was crazy about Luna, had been since the beginning of fifth year. He loved her and he was going to marry her and he couldn't be happier than if he had been the Chosen One.

****S&H****

Luna sat at her kitchen table writing out her latest article for the Quibbler. She didn't need to think about everybody's reaction and she didn't care what they thought anyways. She had agreed with Neville to hold off on the announcement of their engagement until they told his family over the luncheon next week. Neville being the proper wizard that he was had asked her father for permission before asking her, so when she had told her father he hadn't been too surprised. He hadn't been ecstatic but he accepted the fact and embraced the traditions.

****S&H****

Lily stood in the kitchen fixing supper for James, Sirius, and herself. She wasn't much of a cook, nothing compared to Molly Weasley. She felt the slight twinge of jealousy encase her, she knew she should be grateful for the older witch's help in raising her son but it still hurt knowing that yet another person knew her son better than she did. She didn't even know if Harry was coming home for supper. Most likely he wasn't, but she'd make enough just in case.

While she cooked the muggle way with just a little bit of magic she pondered what they were going to do about the future. She wanted another baby, but her logical and rational side fought against her wanting side. As much as she loved the idea of another little baby, she knew she couldn't bring a child into this life. She hadn't wanted to bring Harry into the world, not that she regretted having Harry she just wished that things had been different. She wished that she hadn't been fresh out of Hogwarts, newly married and pregnant then just after Harry's first birthday to have the world fall out from under her. She would have done things differently all the way around. She swore this time she would. They couldn't keep living off the family's moldy money forever. She estimated quickly that they only had about six months to a year left of that anyways, what with James just throwing money around like it was nothing. She had to agree that they had needed some new clothes and robes and things, but a new broom wasn't really necessary considering they could apparate or use the floo. And those high priced tickets for the Quidditch World Cup. Ok that one she could let go because he had invited Ron and Hermione along with them as an effort to try and bond with their son and his friends. Needless to say that hadn't gone good. Hermione hadn't come and the boys were too busy talking about their friend to really care about the game. She wondered if there was something going on between Harry and Hermione, something other than friendship..._Mmm, something else to think about,_ she mused wondering if she should ask Harry about it.

****S&H****

James sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace deep in thought as him and Sirius sat there drinking a whiskey. He was no longer worried about Harry being gay since Sirius had put that fear to rest. It wasn't that he was a homophobic but he didn't want his only son to be that way. He wanted somebody else to carry on the family line after him and Harry had been laid to rest. Someone had to inherit their remaining money. Speaking of money he really needed to get a job. He couldn't keep dipping into the funds he had left for Harry. It wasn't right.

"You look deep in thought," Sirius said looking over at his friend trying to figure out what was on James's mind.

"Yeah I suppose I was," James said looking over at Sirius.

"You're not still worried about Harry being gay are you?" Sirius asked trying hard not to laugh at the thought.

"No, it's something far more important than that," James said.

"Oh, what's so important," Sirius asked.

"The future," James said as if that said it all.

"What about it," Sirius said not understanding why the future was more important. He had a firm mantra live each day to the fullest, and he intended to do just that.

"About Lily and me moving back into our home," James said lightly knowing it wouldn't go over very good with Sirius about them moving out.

"You know you can stay here as long as you need too," Sirius said looking at his friend.

"I know and you're a good friend but we need our own place," James said watching Sirius nod in understanding. "And I need to get a job," James said just as Sirius took a sip of his whiskey.

Sirius sprayed whiskey towards the fire as he started laughing and coughing at the same time. "A job," Sirius said laughing with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Yes a job," James snapped out. "You know that thing that people get to support their families," James said sarcastically.

"I know what a job is, but why in Merlin's name would you want one," Sirius said looking at James totally befuddled.

"I have a family to support," James said stating the obvious.

"But you have money," Sirius yelped confused. There was no way for James to be out of money.

"Yes I have money but it's not going to last forever, you know. Besides it doesn't seem right taking Harry's inheritance away after all these years. It wasn't as if he expected us all to come back to life rendering him penniless." James pointed out.

"I never thought about that." Sirius said thoughtfully.

"Yeah I'm going to talk to Lily about giving him half of it. It seems only right, since..." James trailed off looking at Sirius.

"You mean since he gave his winnings from the Triwizard Torment to the Weasley twins." Sirius said watching James shake his head. "It was a good investment." Sirius said proud of Harry for doing so.

"Yeah I agree," James said knowing how much business Weasleys' Wizard Wheezzes was doing.

"So when did you become so responsible?" Sirius asked changing the subject back to what they were talking about.

"Who knows, maybe Lily's rubbing off on me." James said chuckling.

"What kind of job are you thinking about?" Sirius said looking at his friend. "Surely you aren't considering the Aura program again," Sirius said.

"I haven't really thought that far yet." James said.

"Well why, don't we talk about it after supper because my nose is telling me Lily's got supper ready." Sirius said getting up.

"Yeah," James agreed following his friend towards the kitchen only to freeze in the doorway at the sight of Lily standing there in her pale blue shirt and jeans that clung to her curves with the apron. She looked so homey and domestic that he just wanted to take her right there on the table but he didn't want to rush her either but he was so looking forward to when they could be one again.

****S&H****

Aquila stood there in the foyer of their house in Transylvania, watching her brother walk up the thirteen stairs towards their father's office. She didn't envy Salazar his task in the slightest, but she wasn't going to do it for him. He could deal with the ghosts and the memories better without her anyways. She turned quickly heading down towards her personal sanctuary... the dungeons.

She pushed open the heavy barred door with practiced ease. She had only been opening the door since she was five. Her heeled boots clicked on the stone floor as she walked into the chamber slightly off of the torture chamber and dungeons. She was immediately greeted by her pet Basagon, Chantel. "Hey there pretty girl," Aquila said stroking the scaly green chest. "Have you been a good girl guarding my secret," she crooned.

Chantel was her most prized possession. She had been around six or seven when she had decided to run away in order to get Daddy's attention. Her father had found her locked in here playing contentedly with Chantel while Chantel's mother looked on. That was how they had found out that Aquila was a parselmouth. Her father had been so pleased he had given Chantel to her as a pet.

Her father had been wonderful at cross breeding different kinds of magical creatures. Chantel was a product of one of his attempts to cross a basilisk and a Norwegian Ridgeback. Chantel had a long slender body like a basilisk with four chubby golden brown dragon legs. Her eyes were the best yet incredible magical feature. They were soft golden yellow unless you were proven to be untrustworthy or a threat, then her eyes were a glorious yellow as bright as the sun that were just as deadly as a basilisk's eyes. That was part of the reason Chantel was so special you could speak straight out with her or in parselmouth it made no difference. The best thing was that Chantel could either kill you with her powerful jaws or her eyes given the inclination. But like Aquila and her mother Chantel liked to play with her prey before killing it. It was a game they played. But Chantel was special for another reason. She guarded Aquila's secret passageway into the clandestine village of Coven's Circle.

Aquila gave Chantel one last loving stroke before patting her gently and walking on down to the arched doorway. She slipped inside and pulled the broken sconce towards the left and watched with amazement as the wall before her turned into a mirror before becoming a frost etched glass. She knew from previous visits you only needed to step through the glassy exterior to be transported through some portal straight to the outskirts of the village.

Aquila quickly pulled the hood of her cloak up over her head and stepped through. Salazar wouldn't come looking for her anytime soon, she knew. He had his own demons to fight. She quickly walked away from the forest towards the village square, and on past until she came to the somewhat large manor. The door swung open immediately for her and she stepped inside taking her cloak off and handing it to one of the goons waiting by the door. "Is Jadon in?" she asked, hoping he wasn't out feeding or some other kind of business.

"Yes, Miss, he's in the drawing room," the goon said with a bow as he looked at her.

"Good," Aquila said firmly not wasting any more time with the goon before she headed up the stairs to see her lover.

****S&H****

Salazar stood outside the door to his father's office taking a deep breath before he opened the door and walked across the room almost on autopilot. He stood there looking down at the floor in front of the big oriental desk with his hands clasped firmly behind his back waiting expectantly. It took a few seconds for the fear and panic to set in before he remembered his father was no longer alive. "Stupid Sal, really stupid," he cursed himself for his foolish stupidity as he looked up and across the immaculate desk. He let the shudder run its course through him.

Once the shudders stopped he looked around the room that he wasn't generally allowed to enter unless his father specifically deemed it. Salazar never liked it when his father deemed it prudent for him to come into the office. Mainly because he never knew what kind of mood his father would be in once he entered. The second to the last time had been the worst he could ever remember.

He was the happiest he had ever been when his father had called for him. Salazar wasn't stupid enough not to go when his father beckoned. He had walked into the office cautiously. It turned out to be the best day of his life turned into a nightmare.

He was just in his seventh year, at Crisana School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. The Head Boy and getting O's in all his subjects, so he doubted he was in trouble, he couldn't be any more wrong.

_"You wished to see me father," Salazar said from the doorway._

_"Ah, Salazar," his father purred out._

_Salazar braced himself against his father's purring knowing nothing good would come from it. He walked swiftly and confidently across the floor. He could hear his mother's cackling laughter along with Aquila's husky whisper coming over from the side of the room, but he didn't dare look at either of them until his father allowed him too. But hearing his mother and sister he relaxed, believing nothing too bad would happen in their presence. He couldn't have been more wrong. _

_"How are your head duties at school suiting you," his father questioned._

_"They are fine father," he answered honestly._

_"They aren't interfering with your studies," his father questioned._

_"No Sir," Salazar answered wondering where his father was going with his line of questioning. _

_His father bowed his head slightly before turning his attention towards his mother and sister. "Come stand beside your brother Quila," their father said waiting patiently for Aquila to move beside Salazar. _

_Salazar and Aquila looked at each other for a second with confusion before their father started speaking once again. "How are you getting along with your prefect duties, Aquila?" he asked._

_"Very well Daddy," Aquila preened twirling one of her curls nervously in her fingers. _

_"They're not interfering with your studies," he repeated only directing the question at Aquila._

_"Of course not Daddy," Aquila said slightly nervous. _

_"Bella, my sweet, let's show them our guest," he said crooningly as he swept his long spidery hand down their mother's cheek, causing their mother to almost swoon. _

Salazar shook his head violently. He didn't want to remember what had happened next. He had it buried deep behind his Occlumency shields. Needless to say it hadn't been a pleasant experience. Aquila had gotten off easier than he did. His punishment had been much worse. His back still wore the scars and his muscles still twitched from the Crucitatus Curse, and his mind was haunted with the image. "I will extract my own revenge for your deaths, but screw the idea of bringing you back," Salazar said turning on his heel and striding out of the office. He knew what he was going to do. "Slippy," he called waiting until the house elf popped beside him in the hallway.

"Slippy is most eager to please Master," the elf said with a bow.

"I want you to find her and bring her back here with force if need be," he said with a smile as he watched the elf disappear with a pop.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Standard Disclaimers Apply**_

_**A/N: This is going to be the longest chapter as of yet. Lot of details to take in and a lot of background. Please read and review.**_

_**Chapter 4**_

Eileen stood looking out the window at International Port Hub Inn. She was extremely frustrated at being this close to her son and being forced to stay in Kristiansand. Two days, is what the mediwitch Ingrid Larson had said. Two days of being so close yet not close enough. She supposed she could apparate to Hogwarts or Hogsmeade then use a floo to go to St. Mungo's. She would even agree to use a broom even though she hated flying by broom. She stood there gently tapping her index finger to her chin as she thought. When she saw a man that reminded her so much of a man she used to know down in the street below the familiar twinge of regret and heartache hit her a little more fully. It seemed like such a long time ago when everything in her life had been absolutely perfect.

****S&H****

The silver misting fog lifted as the new memory appeared. It didn't take him long to locate where he was. He was just outside the park he and Lily used to visit when they were younger.

"Come swing with me Sev," Lily called out from where she was sitting on the swing.

"Lily," he gasped out seeing the redheaded beauty of his dreams sitting on one of the two swings. She looked just as he remembered her looking the last time he saw her. Without thinking he walked over to where she was sitting and took the swing beside her. "Lily," he repeated a little breathlessly.

"Sev," Lily said smiling warmly at him before she kicked off the ground and started to swing. "Come on Sev, like we used too," she cajoled.

Severus didn't even think about how ridiculous he looked, a grown man swinging like a little kid. He just swung looking at Lily and losing himself in her smile.

"Bet, I can jump farther than you," Lily laughed sounding like silver bells.

"Yeah, sure," Severus said.

"On the count of three, one...two...three..." Lily said as she jumped from the swinging swing and landed smoothly on her feet, just as Severus did.

"Ha!" Severus said triumphantly as he turned to look at Lily only to see a serious look on her face before she reached over and grabbed his hand and the silvery mist encircled them.

****S&H****

"Professor I need some relationship advice, well I need to see where my mind's at." Hermione said firmly. "So if you want me to shut up you got to wake up and tell me so," she said waiting expectantly tapping her foot impatiently. "No objections," she said after there was no reaction, not even a muscle twitch. "Well I'm sure you know that Ron and I are in a relationship." she said keeping her eyes to his still form. "Well right before Harry and I realized you weren't dead, some things happened..." Hermione said not all that sure if she wanted to talk about Ron's attempt to get in her pants. _You might as well go for broke, _ she mused to herself. "Well after the battle we kissed and Ron well...he wanted to...you know..." Hermione stammered unable to say the word sex in front of her Professor unconscious or not. "I told him no, that I wasn't ready," Hermione continued. "I don't know why..."

****S&H****

Aberforth stormed out of his little tavern without so much as a word or a look at the patrons that were still mingling in the bar. He walked out and disapparated away quickly with one destination in mind.

His body was raw with emotions when he landed with a soft pop in front of the cottage. He immediately fell to his knees, as his magic manifested all around him. He looked up to see two timber beams leaning against each other. Needing to let out some of his angry magic he pointed his wand at the charred timbers making them collapse down onto the burnt ruins with only little puffs of smoke and ash flying up into the air and sailing away on the slight breeze.

Tears started to slide down his cheeks unimpeded as he stared at the burnt remains of his heaven and his hell. For a month it had been his heaven, only to turn into his own personal hell. It still taunted him...in his dreams...his every waking moment for nearly forty years it still haunted his memory. Just the sight of the remains caused his heart to clench tightly in his chest breaking all over again.

He had bought the cottage with his seldom used teaching salary and so much hope for the future...

_He looked around the meager furnished cottage, making sure everything was just right before he left to go to the housewarming party for Albus and Minerva at Safe Haven. He wasn't going to welcome them into their new house, he was only going because she would be there. _

_She had came with her family, and he had watched from the sidelines as she worked her way graciously through the crowd. He stood aloft from the crowd following her every move with his eyes. His breathing quickened, and his palms started to sweat as she turned and looked at him. Their eyes did a sweeping from head to toe before locking showing their desire for each other._

_Her raven black hair was in a neat plait, and her black eyes were shining and she had the most bewitching smile. Her hunter green dress hugged her in all the right places leaving nothing to the imagination. Merlin, how he wanted her and could feel his body's reaction to just the sight. He broke the look by glancing down at the glass in his hand. _

_He was a fool in the highest order thinking he actually stood a chance with her. She was almost twenty years his junior. What could she possibly want with an old fart for a husband? Why would she want to give up her big house for a little cottage and a dried out teacher? He would never be able to afford anything like the Prince family estate. He couldn't even afford a house like Safe Haven, a wedding gift to Minerva from Albus. _

_He regretted coming to the party. It was pure torture to see her, want her, but knowing damn well he wasn't ready to approach her yet. He hadn't nearly made the start of what he needed to in order to be worthy of her. _

_It wasn't until he saw her talking to Kasper Kaspersky. That's when he saw her talking to Kasper Kaspersky a good looking bloke as far as looks went who was also closer to her age than he was. When they started dancing it took every ounce of self-control he processed not to curse the good looking fool for touching her. It was four dances in when he heard that flirtatious laugh of hers that sounded like chimes on a sunny day. He knew he had to alter his plans or he was going to lose her before he even had her. _

_Just then she walked over towards the punch table, where he was standing alone. _

_"Hello Professor," she said with a light flush on her pale cheeks as she grabbed herself a cup of punch._

_"Miss Prince," he said with a curt nod. "Are you having a good time," he asked casually._

_"Wonderful time Professor, and you?" she countered._

_"Miss Prince, I'm no longer your Professor, there is no need to address me as such. Besides we are practically related," he said in a low conspiratorial voice as he inclined his head closer to her to where he could smell her perfume. "Eileen," he said rolling the name off his tongue like a sweet caress._

_"Very well, Aberforth," Eileen said smiling coyly up at him. _

_"You know, Eileen I was hoping you would be here," he said not wanting her to leave._

_"Oh," she said turning towards him. "And why is that," she asked._

_"I wanted to show you something," he said._

_"What is it," she said arching one brow up in curiosity. _

_"It's a surprise," he said smiling. _

_"Then show me," she said laughing._

_"Very well," Aberforth said grabbing her arm as he apparated them to the cottage._

_****S&H****_

"All right Albus are you going to tell me just what secret has your brother getting all riled up?" Minerva asked not really taking in her surroundings.

"Never one to prolong things are you Minerva," Albus chuckled as he sat behind his desk.

"You know I'm not, so what's so secretive that you gave your brother cause to think you slept with Eileen. You didn't, did you?" Minerva asked looking straight at her husband.

"How could you even think that Tabby, " he said calling her by the pet name only he called her. He wanted...no needed for her to know that no one but her had held that special place in his heart since he had first realized he loved her.

"You haven't called me that in a very long time." Minerva said looking at him tenderly, only to remember why she was so upset.

"I know," Albus said noticing her stern classroom face was back in place. _Well at least she hasn't realized where we're at yet, _he mused already dreading that reaction. "I felt like you needed the reminder that I'm in love with you and only you." Albus said looking directly at her.

"I love you too, Albus. I've loved you since I was a little girl. At first it seemed like just a silly schoolgirl crush but it quickly turned into something more." she conceded for a moment.

"And I've loved you since you were just starting to become a woman," Albus said smiling at her with twinkling blue eyes.

"I'm glad but you're avoiding the question. Did you sleep with Eileen," Minerva asked not about to be sidetracked.

"Tabby," he started looking at her stern face. "No, I never slept with Eileen. I tried to tell Aberforth but he wouldn't let me finish." Albus stated.

"Then suppose you tell me what it is that you think would make Aberforth react like that." Minerva said sternly.

Albus stared at her quietly he could almost see her foot tapping under her black skirts. He wanted to smirk at the picture she was presenting but knew better.

"Well, what's this secret and what does it have to do with Eileen?"

"It's not going to be easy for you, my dear" Albus said, holding up a hand. "Don't ask me how I got these," he added reaching into his middle drawer and pulling out two golden scrolls. "I can't tell you, the one you know about but the other..." Albus said handing her one of the golden scrolls.

Minerva took it and looked at Albus expectantly. "Well," she said.

"Just open it, it's rolled up to the right spot," Albus said. "It's the Birth Registry of Magical Children," he said as Minerva started to unroll the scroll from both ends.

"Oh my," Minerva said looking at the scroll seeing Reginald Percival Albus Robert Dumbledore, her belated son's name there in a neat but wide scrawl.

"Now drop down one," Albus said seeing the grief stricken look upon Minerva's facial expression. He didn't have to use Legilimency on her to know she had just saw their son's name.

Minerva read the name below Reginald's and her eyes darted up to Albus's clearly confused. "Severus Tobias Dumbledore Snape?" she questioned looking at him.

"Yes it appears, that your _dear_ cousin," He said stressing the dear. "Left without so much as a word to my brother in two different regards." Albus said.

"Albus, I know what Eileen did, but there were extenuating circumstances," Minerva said.

"Extenuating circumstances!" Albus raged. "She left my brother without telling him goodbye or anything about his own son," Albus shouted losing his temper.

"If Eileen knew she'd never...Wait a minute!" Minerva shouted at Albus. "What do you mean she left without saying goodbye? She waited at that cottage until dawn for Aberforth to show back up. He left her first."

"Yeah, she told him she was seeing Tobias," Albus confirmed.

"She was trying to see where she stood with Aberforth!" Minerva yelled. "Merlin forbid either of you use your heads for anything other than brick walls. I swear the walls of Hogwarts have more sense than either of you." Minerva snapped out harshly.

"What are you saying?" Albus asked completely confused.

"I'm saying if we had waited on either of you to figure out what your feelings are, we'd still be waiting."

"Meaning what?" Albus asked

"You didn't start courting me until after I had already married, been widowed and was getting ready to start courting again." Minerva said.

****S&H****

After supper was over Sirius took himself off to the study while James stayed behind watching Lily clean up the kitchen, the Muggle way. "Lily, can you stop that for a few minutes," James asked as he didn't see any signs of her stopping for a second.

"Did you want something else?" Lily asked looking at him.

"No...Yes..."James said reaching out to grab her hands in his, before flicking his wand to send the dishes to the sink to scrub themselves. "We need to talk," he said pulling Lily down onto the chair beside him.

"This sounds serious," Lily said, with mixed emotions. She knew James well enough to know that whatever it was, was serious. It didn't ease her mind any in the least. Did he think they should stay married? Did he regret how young they were too? With a sense of dreaded trepidation she looked at him mustering all her Gyffindor courage to face him.

"It's very serious," James agreed.

"What is it then," she asked keeping her eyes locked on his face but not quite meeting his eyes.

"The future. Our future to be more precise," James said rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand that he held.

"What about it," Lily said wondering when he was going to drop the bomb in her lap.

"I've given this a lot of thought, it isn't something that just poped into my head," James said keeping his eyes locked on hers. "But I realized that both of us are going to have to agree."

"Agree on what," Lily asked cautiously.

"How would you feel about giving Harry half of the remaining money left from the inheritance?" James asked suddenly.

"What," Lily burst out before she could stop herself. She hadn't been expecting this kind of a talk.

"I got to thinking that it's not fair to him for us to just come back out of the blue and take everything away from him," James said not bothering to repeat his earlier statement.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," Lily agreed. "You do realize that you won't be able to do anymore extravagant spending. We'll have to be very careful on how we manage our money," she warned.

"I know, and I've been thinking about that too. I'm going to start looking for a job. I could probably get my old job with the Aurary back, but I'm not sure I want to." James said.

"Then what are you going to do?" Lily asked looking at him.

"I don't know yet but I'm going to look around," James said. "I'll be an Aura if that's all I can find." James stated.

"Oh James," Lily said happily forgetting all about her earlier doubts. "I've been thinking about the future too. And I would like to get a job too, than maybe we could..." Lily trailed off looking at him.

"What kind of a job?" James asked not really caring if she got a job or not.

"I haven't thought about it yet," Lily admitted. "I thought we could talk to Dumbledore," Lily said.

"Ok," James agreed having much faith in their old headmaster. "Then what were you thinking about?"

"I uhum..." Lily started only to get up and start putting dishes away.

****S&H****

Sirius sat in his study knowing that James needed a few moments alone to talk to Lily about their future. James had brought up some interesting points that he hadn't thought about for some time. He was almost forty and while that wasn't old in the wizarding world by any means, he still had very little to show for his almost forty years. He had no wife, no heir, and no prospects. He used to have prospects, Mary Thornsberry had been at the top of the list but Peter Petigrew had taken care of that. It didn't seem fair that those killed by the inner circle of Death Eaters or by Voldemort himself had been resurrected while those killed by the low man on the totem pole hadn't been. Sweet darling Mary had been one of the twelve Muggles killed that he had been accused of murdering. It was a good thing the rat had died, or he might even risk Azkaban by killing him.

He needed to find a new interest. There weren't many witches that interested him anymore. Well one did but there were other complications surrounding her. Hermione Granger was a beautiful young witch, twenty years his junior and she was best friends with his godson and seeing Ron. He really didn't think that Ron and Hermione would work out. He used to always refuse to go poaching on another man's territory, but Hermione was enough reason to reconsider that rule. A smile curled to his lips as he poured himself a drink from the sidebar. Yes, he'd work on winning Hermione over.

****S&H****

Aquila walked up the stairs in a graceful hurry. She wasn't exactly sure how long she would have with Jadon, but she needed him in the worst way. She burst into the drawing room only to stop dead in her tracks at the door. She always knew that Jadon threw some inner circle parties but she didn't figure she'd ever be walking into one.

"Aquila, my sweet," Jadon said sweetly coming up beside her.

"Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt," she said looking at him pleadingly.

"No need to worry, my sweet," Jadon said grabbing her elbow and leading her back out of the drawing room.

"I really am sorry," Aquila said apologizing once again.

"Aquila, there's no need to apologize, they are only family," Jadon said rubbing a thumb along the bare expanse of skin at her inner elbow. "But I thought you'd be gone longer," he said.

"I thought so too, but wizards and witches alike are all bragging about how they died. There will be no resurrection," Aquila said looking up at him smiling.

"What about your brother?" Jadon asked. "Surely he'll want to seek revenge for their deaths," he added softly.

"I can stop him easily enough," Aquila said with a shudder, causing Jadon to pull her closer.

"So does that mean our plans haven't changed," Jadon asked.

"Not unless you want to change them."

"Never," Jadon said pressing a chaste kiss to Aquila's lips.

"How long can you be unaccounted for," Aquila purred out silkily.

"As long as I want, it's my party," Jadon said giving her body a sweeping hand gesture, changing her black morning gown to a blood red evening dress. "But first shall we make the announcement," he said smiling.

"Oh yes," Aquila agreed smiling as the doors to the drawing room opened up and they walked in to join the festivities.

****S&H****

"Master, Slippy is most sorry, but Missy could not come." Slippy said popping into the study that Salazar occupied.

"And why not," Salazar asked dread creeping into the pit of his stomach. "She's not..." he said unable to finish the statement as a lump the size of a hippogriff lodged in his throat.

"No Master, Missy not dead, Slippy see with Slippy's own eyes Missy alive and well." Slippy said.

"Then why didn't you bring her back here?" Salazar ranted angry now that his sudden fear was null and void.

"Missy, told Slippy if Master wants her, Slippy is to bring Master to her. Missy can not leave otherwise." Slippy said.

"Eleven years and she expects me to jump through hoops," Salazar said. "What was the reason she gave you that she couldn't come," Salazar asked.

"Missy must take care of young masters," Slippy said.

"Young Masters," Salazar said looking doubtfully at the elf. "Very well Slippy, take me to her," Salazar said holding out a hand towards his elf only to feel the tugging behind his navel.

****S&H****

Eileen stood there at the window watching the man below as her mind remembered another man of similar appearance. Aberforth Dumbledore, for the longest time she practically seen him everywhere she looked. Now it was just at times when she saw someone with similar looks. It still seemed strange that her and Minerva, who were as close as sisters as any two cousins could be would fall in love with two brothers. She hadn't planned on falling in love with one of her Professors. She supposed a schoolgirl crush was to be expected, considering Aberforth and Albus were the only two young eligible professors in the school. Yes a crush was to be expected at one point, but to fall in love with them...Well that was another thing altogether. But fall she did hard for her professor, not that she would ever complain about falling in love with Aberforth Dumbledore. It was the memories of their month together that got her through some of her most darkest times in her life. No if she had any regrets about their once upon a time relationship it was how it started and how it ended.

During her fifth year she had developed a crush on Aberforth, she thought was perfectly acceptable. She thought by the start of her sixth year things would be perfectly normal between them. She remembered her sixth year so well. She had secluded herself away from everybody and threw herself into her studies, trying to forget the loss she felt for her one true friend Minerva graduating and trying to stop from fantasizing about Aberforth. It was mid sixth year when Aberforth became concerned and as her Head of House intervened. She still felt slightly guilty for using Minerva's graduation as a way to gain attention from Aberforth. He treated her kindly and with certain professionalism. Then Minerva gave her a good piece of advice saying use her friendship with Aberforth to her advantage. And she had during her seventh year. There were plenty of times she had sat in his private quarters drinking tea and talking about everything and anything that came to mind. It was all perfectly innocent, but she had wished for more.

By the time her graduation had come and gone she had been at her wits end trying to get Aberforth to notice her as anything other than a student. Then at her graduation he had dropped a cannonball in her lap.

_She had been going over to say goodbye to Aberforth when he startled her by speaking first. _"_Miss Prince, now that you've completed your education, I was wondering if we could possibly turn our friendship into something more?"_

_She been stunned to say the least. "Yes.." she stammered out before clearing her throat and saying. "Yes, I would like that," she answered honestly, smiling brightly up at him._

Nothing came of it, and she wondered why he had even bothered. She had went to visit her Aunt Helena just outside of Cokeworth to try and distance herself from Aberforth's indifference. She had meet Tobias Snape there at one of the parties her Aunt Helena had thrown for the mill owner's birthday. Tobias had been one of the supervisors who had attended. Since he was the closest one to her age she had started seeing Tobias socially for a better part of a year because she had nothing better to do. Yet when Minerva's invitation had come for her wedding she had accepted only because she thought Aberforth would be there. He wasn't, and she had almost given up hope for them to be anything other than friends. Then Minerva invited her to the housewarming party and stated that Aberforth would be there so she had gone. She had taken careful consideration on her dress, her robes, her hair, her make up everything in order to impress one man.

_She walked into the house looking at the grander of the place with much impression. then she saw him standing off in the corner and her heart fluttered in her chest. She wanted so much for him to come over towards her but he stayed aloof from her most of the evening, but she could feel his eyes following her. She had been desperate to get his attention so she accepted a dance with Kasper Kaspersky if only to force Aberforth into making a move. _

She had flirted shamelessly with Kasper and danced how many dances with him she couldn't remember. It had been worth it in the end because Aberforth had grabbed her arm after a little conversation and apparated them. They landed in front of a little cottage. It was the most beautiful cottage she had ever seen and she had told him so upon arrival.

_"If you think the outside is beautiful then you ought to see the inside," he said holding the door open for her, yet not moving out of the doorway. _

She remembered how she had to press against him as she moved inside, a fact that she hadn't minded. She could still feel the heat of his body long after she stepped away, though she hadn't wanted too. There for a moment she had thought about pressing a kiss to his cheek but decided against it.

He gave her the quick guided tour of the cottage never once implying anything other than him showing a friend a house, now that she thought about it. The inside of the cottage seemed to match his private rooms at Hogwarts. The walls were bare and it was sparsely furnished but her imagination was running wild with her and she started to mentally add her own touches to the house. Somehow they ended up in front of the fire, on the ugly, worn, yet still in good shape comfy brown lounge. As much as she hated the color brown it seemed to fit perfectly with the rest of the furnishings. It was almost like they hadn't spent a year apart as they sat there drinking tea and eating her favorite kind of biscuits that he had picked up somewhere. She was surprised he remembered how she liked the chocolate drizzled ones the best. As the evening had worn on she wondered more and more why he had brought her there, and why he said what he said at her graduation but was to scared to asked. She just wanted to pretend and live out her fantasy. The next thing she knew she was moving closer and closer to him then she was kissing him. She may have kissed him first but he soon took control of the kiss.

Never in her life did she imagine a simple kiss would lead to the best time of her life. Or that it would get him to move forward in such a way. She barely remembered him carrying her to the bedroom, but she did remember how sweet, tender, demanding, poccessive, and attentive he had been making love to her. She couldn't call what they did shagging or a fling or a duty, it had been so much more to her. She had been making love, it was that simple and that complicated. Merlin how she had loved how he treated her as if she was the finest porcelain around. She had felt that she was going to break apart from all his attentions. She remembered how right at the peak of their communal climax he had shouted..._"You're mine, Eileen." _She hadn't cared in the slightest that he was claiming ownership. She wanted him forever and always.

A smile curled to her lips, as she thought about their first week together in the cottage. She had woken up slightly disoriented and slightly uncomfortable from the way he was holding her so tightly against him as if she would slip away. She hadn't minded waking up with his head buried in her neck and his arms around her. She had tried her skills at being a housewife. Her cooking certainly wasn't anything to be desired the first few times she had tried, but it did slightly improve with time. It was like little by little she had started to put her own touches on the house. A month had gone by of them living together and there were a few trials and errors but they got better, and every night they would make love and she'd go to sleep wrapped in his arms.

Her parents hadn't been happy about them but had accepted them with a little reluctance. She could understand her mother's reluctance, _"Eileen, darling, what are Aberforth's intentions?" her mother Victoria Prince asked._

_"I don't know Mother, can't you just be happy for me," Eileen asked._

_"Darling I am happy that you were able to find love, but what's the point of buying the cow if you can get the milk for free." Victoria pointed out._

Of course Eileen being so young and naive and innocent hadn't known what her mother had meant until her mother spelled it out with a plan. Yet it was that plan that had destroyed her happy ever after.

_It was one month to the day that she had started living with Aberforth, and she had wanted to make it somewhat special. She had been standing in the kitchen preparing the evening meal from a recipe her mother had given her. She had been surprised at how much like potion making cooking was once you had recipes. So there she was mincing up the fresh thyme to go in the savory tomato sauce, after all Italians were the most romantic when it came to cooking, when Aberforth walked into the kitchen._

_"Something smells good," he said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist as he nuzzled and nipped at her neck in the most distracting fashion imaginable. _

_"It's called supper," she chuckled as she ducked away from his ministrations to add the thyme to the sauce. "But since you are here there is something I would like to talk to you about." she said softly. _

_"What's that my darling," Aberforth said moving in to snag her around the waist once more. _

_"About the half year I spent with my Aunt Helena in Cokeworth." she started timidly still nervous about her mother's plan but she didn't want to one day be in Aberforth's life then gone the next between them. She wanted to be there forever and as his wife not his mistress. Yet she wasn't brave enough to simply come out and ask him, but remembered him telling her how jealous he was of Kasper Kasperskey. _

_"You told me about it," he said looking at her._

_"Yes I told you most of it," she agreed. "I just didn't tell you that I met a man while I was there. I've been seeing Tobias off and on for a while and yesterday when I went to see my Aunt with Mother he was there talking to Uncle Raymond and he asked me if I would marry him," Eileen said softly not daring to look up into Aberforth's face so scared he would see that she was lying. _

_"Tobias?" Aberforth choked out. "Tobias who?" he demanded._

_"Tobias Snape, he's a Muggle that works at the textile mill in Cokeworth." Eileen said._

_"A Muggle!" Aberforth shouted losing his temper. "A damn Muggle bloody hell," he shouted before he disapparated right out of the kitchen._

_Eileen stood there staring blankly at the spot where he had stood before she dropped to her knees right in front of the stove crying. _

She had waited until dawn for him to come back, so she could tell him it was all a lie and appologize, but he never came back. She had been so distraught that she could barely concentrate enough to focus on disapparating to her parents' house. Once at her parents' house and in her bedroom, it had taken nearly twenty minutes for her to summon up a happy memory in order to send a Patronus to Minerva. Minerva had shown up and let her cry her tears as she sobbed out the whole story to her cousin. A week later she was in Cokeworth at her aunts without a word from Aberforth. She had gone out on a date with Tobias and gotten drunk and she still didn't remember drinking that much that would make her lose her head enough to get into bed with Tobias after having been with Aberforth. A month later she found herself disowned from her family, married to Tobias and pregnant in that order. The whole time she had waited for Aberforth to come and sweep her away, but he never showed and Minerva never mentioned him anymore. Of course she hadn't found out that her dear Aunt Helena had slipped her and Tobias a Lust Potion either until after Severus was born.

"Well thinking about lost love isn't helping your son, Eileen," she scolded herself as she walked to the center of the room and started thinking of Severus only to have her focus shift to Aberforth once again as she started to feel the tug behind her navel and disapparated.

****S&H****

_**A/N: I hate doing mid chapter A/N but just so I don't lose anybody. The bold italics are Severus's thoughts/ Severus and Lily's conversations and the Italics is Hermione talking. Ok now for the next section.**_

Severus went with Lily into another memory of them laying under the willow tree. They really spent a lot of their time talking about Hogwarts and the wizarding world. He was trying to hear what his memory self was saying to young memory Lily, but couldn't because another voice was more prominent.

_"I don't know why I told Ron, I wasn't ready. It wasn't like I was a virgin anymore." _

_**"What the bloody hell is Miss Granger doing talking to me about her virginity?" Snape demanded looking at Lily's flushed face.**_

_**"Perhaps, this is why?" Lily said as another memory floated into view. **_

Severus stared at the memory Lily before he turned to look at the memory of the Yule Ball, the one during the Triwizard Tournament. The one that still made him sick to his stomach every time he remembered.

Hermione Granger brightest witch of her age pinned up against the stone wall by the Bulgarian Quidditch player. He was about to step in to take points away and issue a detention to Miss Granger since he couldn't punish Krum himself, when he noticed Miss Granger's face. She obviously wasn't willing participant. He wondered why she didn't scream or hex his balls off or any of the other Muggle methods she could do? Then he realized that she was obviously stuck against the wall with a Binding and Sticking Charm along with a Silencing Charm. He could just see the glistening of tears streaming down her face as the Bulgarian sex fiend mulled at her neck while his one hand pawed at Miss Granger's perky full golden globes with a harshness that unsettled Severus's stomach. It wasn't until the miscreant started to brutally pull her thighs apart that he stepped in.

_"I don't know what to do Professor," Hermione's voice spoke again silencing the conversation he was having with the memory. _

_**"Doesn't know what to do about what?" Severus demanded looking at Lily. "Obviously it's not having sex if she's not a virgin."**_

_**"Sev, shut up and listen," Lily snapped out at him. **_

"_I don't want to hurt him, but we're just not compatable..." Hermione continued._

_**"I would say not Miss Granger, Potter is better suited for you than that dunderhead Weasley. **_

_"Should I try and give it a chance. I mean granted Slade, my first hurt so much and I didn't even get off and Billy while he was older he was just as harsh and mean as Krum was at the Yule Ball. I never did get a chance to thank you for being my knight in shining armor...well more like black armor..." she chuckled. " And then Jasper Conahan well I supposed he was somewhat good but it wouldn't go very far from a fling." Hermione said._

_**"Oh Merlin, since I'm obviously not dead please let me wake up." Severus prayed.**_

_**"It's your choice as to when you wake up Sev, you've just buried yourself behind your walls." Lily said.**_

_**"Then I want to wake up now before I have to listen to anymore insane prattling about Miss Granger's sex life." Severus said. **_

_**"Then close your eyes and find your way out of this maze you call a mind," Lily said laughing. "I can't guarantee that you won't hear of Miss Granger's sex life though." Lily said as she faded away. **_

Severus stared at the spot where Lily had been standing only to hear Miss Granger continue her tirade on her love life. _**Right now to wake the hell up out of this bloody hell. **_He thought only to hear Miss Granger continue with her love life troubles. _**Miss Granger please stop being an insufferable know-it-all and stop over analyzing everything.**_

****S&H****

"What are you talking about Minerva," Albus demanded looking at her. "I made my feelings for you known," he said keeping his eyes locked with hers.

"Yes, then you avoided my like the plague." Minerva shouted at him. "Merlin forbid you actually act on them," Minerva said.

"I told you I had never felt that way about anyone before," Albus said as if that explained everything.

"Yes, then you stayed as far away from me as possible." Minerva shouted. "You were more worried about what kind of scandle it would have caused being involved with a student." Minerva snapped out. "I've read the rule book and a Hogwarts History and there was nothing prohibiting it then and there isn't one now." she felt the need to point out.

"It wasn't so much a scandal towards me that prohibited me, Tabby. It was more about how the scandal would affect you." Albus said looking at her.

"I'm a tough witch Albus. I'm not made of glass and I won't shatter," she said firmly. "The worst thing you could have ever done, you've done." Minerva said watching him raise his quizical brow. "You kissed me, told me you loved me then ran for the hills," Minerva answered the unspoken question. "I still felt your lips pressed to mine long after you left, the way your hands had ran over my body..." Minerva said.

"You think I wasn't haunted by your reaction? It scared me to death how easy it would have been to take you right there against my desk, but someone had to be the grown up." Albus said looking at her. "I kept trying to tell myself it would suffice me until you were no longer my student. But every day I had to see you in class, I'd remember just what it felt like to kiss you...to hold you."

"Is that why you got involved with Althea Richardson?" Minerva asked.

"Not really," Albus said. "I got involved with Althea, to forget you. To forget you were with Elphinstone, laying with him everynight allowing him to do everything I wanted to do to you. Everytime I was with Althea I imagined it was you. You that I was making love too, every single time."

"Yet you still did nothing, not once during the first year of my apprenticeship," Minerva said looking at him with a challenging look.

"You were still mourning Elphinstone," Albus pointed out.

"Oh come off it Albus, admit it," Minerva said. "You didn't want to lose me again and when I agreed to go on a date with Abraham Moody you threw a fit trying to deny me my days off until I said I'd reschedule with Abraham. You remember what happened after that..." Minerva said smiling at him while the blush crept up into her cheeks.

"We ended up making love on my desk," Albus said chuckling.

"Yes we did," Minerva agreed walking over behind him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "But you know what," she whispered next to his ear. "I never had a date with Aberham that weekend. It was Aunt Victoria who came up with that plan to make you jealous and scared you'd lose me to force your hand."

"Your Aunt is a vicious woman," Albus said chuckling as he patted her hand against his shoulder. "But I'll have to thank her next time I see her." Albus said smiling.

"Yes, you'll have to thank her then you can hate her for breaking your brother's heart." Minerva said as Albus pulled her around to where she stood beside him before pulling her down into his lap.

"What do you mean breaking Aberforth's heart? That was Eileen."

"Not really," Minerva said twining her arms around Albus's neck. "Aunt Victoria got on to Eileen for living with Aberforth for a month without him stating his intentions. And she told Eileen to use the same ploy I did. Eileen used Tobias because Merlin forbid that girl can't lie to save her soul. Anyways, from what Eileen told me which also goes along with what Aberforth told you and then you told me. He shouted something about Tobias and once he found out Tobias was a Muggle he left. Eileen waited until dawn then went to her parents. You were with Abe when Eileen called me with a Patronus." Minerva explained. "She wanted me to arrange a meeting with Abe and herself so she could explain. She waited a week for him to come to her to give her a chance, but he never showed up. So Eileen being Eileen decided distance would make the heart grow fonder. She waited as long as she could until Helena Prince Vandermark slipped her and Tobias a Lust Potion trying to help Eileen over Aberforth. By the time Eileen found out about the Lust Potion she was married and Severus was on the way. But she waited for him up until the I do's to swoop in and steal her away."

"I never knew that," Albus said. "The day of her wedding I had to use a Binding Charm on Aberforth to keep him from going to hex the Muggle stealing bastard, I believe that what Abe had called Tobias."

"Well you see, you helped in their destruction. If Abe had showed up Eileen would have left Tobias, she never would have married him...And she never would have been his personal punching bag, and Severus would have had his father...his true father. You're going to have to tell Eileen and Aberforth. I recommend you start with Aberforth first. Eileen's going to be too busy trying to help her son to really give two figs what you have to say." Minerva said.

"You're sure she's coming?" Albus said still doubtful.

"I'm sure," Minerva said. "Any mother who would stay with a drunkard husband for him to beat daily because she was a witch and her son a wizard, because her son needed a father..." Minerva said. "Yes, she'll come, her baby needs her." Minerva said twisting until she could stand up, as where they were finally dawned on her. "How could you Albus?" she said before running out of the study as fast as a witch her age could.

****S&H****

Aberforth composed himself as he slowly made his way to his feet only to hear the sound of someone apparating kind of pop behind him. He turned with rapid reflexes with his wand drawn only to freeze.

"What happened?" Eileen asked looking at the burnt remains of the cottage.

"I burned it," Aberforth grated out harshly.

"You burned it, but why?" Eileen asked looking at him horrified.

"Why the hell do you care? It was never good enough for you except when you were trying to make up your childish mind about if you wanted your professor or that damn Muggle." Aberforth snapped out bitingly.

"Never good enough," Eileen snapped out. "I lived there with you for a month without a promise of anything. And you're mad because I took up with Tobias who at least had the decency to propose?"

"Look how that turned out," Aberforth sneered. "At least I didn't beat you until you were so broken you couldn't even see to take care of your son," he said roughly.

"No your solution was to leave Severus with Tobias and run away with you." Eileen snapped.

"I wasn't going to raise that bastard's child." Aberforth shouted.

"And I wasn't going to leave MY child in Tobias's hands to make him just as cruel and as hateful as his drunken arse." Elieen snapped. "You had your chance Aberforth, you blew it not me," Eileen said frankly. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get to my son," Eileen said closing her eyes trying to focus once more on Severus as she started to sway on her feet.

"Oh no you're not," Aberforth said roughly grabbing her arm.

"Let me go you old fool," Eileen said trying to jerk away from him.

"You're not going to apparate anywhere when you can't even stand straight." Aberforth said firmly.

"Well I'd like to see you stand straight after three port keys and an apparition," Eileen bit out.

"Three port keys and an apparition are you trying to splinch yourself or are you just suicidal?" he demanded.

"I'm neither, but my son needs me and you aren't going to stop me." Eileen said tears running down her face. "He needs his mother," she cried.

"He's a grown man," Aberforth said grabbing her other arm and shaking her roughly.

"I'm his mother," Eileen said crying harder. "He can't die until I'm there, I have to tell him..." she said breaking into hysterics.

"Tell him what that Albus is his father?" Aberforth bit out.

"What..." Eileen said sobering slightly.

"You said you needed to tell him something...What's that something Eileen? That Albus is his father," Aberforth said looking into her onyx colored orbs.

"Albus Dumbledore can rot in hell," Eileen snapped jerking free of Aberforth's slackened grip as she turned and whirled away with a pop.

"Damn it woman," Aberforth snapped out kicking at the clump of dirt before apparating away after her, telling himself he was only doing it to make sure she didn't kill herself in the process of trying to get to her son's side.

****S&H****

Severus started to wind his way through the maze he called his mind seeing different memories as he went. Some he stopped to see and remember others he didn't want to remember so he left them be and started walking towards Miss Granger's voice that was ringing in his head. Didn't the insufferable know-it-all know when to shut that trap of hers? If he had to hear any more details about her love life and the lack of her gratification, he was going to curse her. What did he care if her first time hurt like hell, didn't she know most girls hated their first time. Granted, he would have done things differently if it had been him. "Damn it Snape, shut up, she's your student."he scolded himself. But what did he care if Billy what's his name got rough? Though Severus felt his chest swell with pride at hearing how she kneed him in his bits before they even got started. He would have hexed Billy whoever for being too rough instead of kneeing him, but apparently Billy was a Muggle so all wand play was out of the question. Yet he could really care less if she slept with Jasper Conahan to try and sort out her feelings with Weasley. And he was sick at his stomach and rigidly hard at the same time at hearing the boy needed to be sucked on in order to get hard. It was making him uncomfortable just hearing about it.

"Miss Granger I would appreciate it if you would shut up with the details," Severus snarled out. "Or else you're going to see something I don't rightly want to show you at the moment," Severus said.

He had to admit in his own mind he did care about Hermione Granger's exploits, because he wanted to know what competition he had. He never really considered Weasley much competition because Weasley was too much of an immature dunderhead. Although he was somewhat brighter at Potions than the blithering idiot Longbottom, Weasley didn't have the same ambitions as Hermione Granger. Whatever she saw in the redheaded fool, he clearly didn't see.

"_I guess I was foolish for thinking Ron and I were a good match," Hermione said._

Wow, I didn't realize I had gotten so lost in my thoughts and head that I hadn't even noticed she had switched tracks. Snape mused. "All right Miss Granger, why do you think you were foolish in choosing Mr. Weasley?" he questioned as he walked along the maze of his own making._**. **_

"_I realize now that we're no better matched than we were during our fifth year. I got insanely jealous of his and Lavender's relationship, because I was scared. I was scared of losing my best friend." Hermione admitted._

"Well that makes so much more sense, he was your best friend but you wanted to date him. Lucius is my best friend but that doesn't mean I'm going to date him. Snape thought as he shook his head. "Damn I was just here a few minutes ago." He grumbled seeing the same memories being replayed.

"_I don't even know why I got jealous. It wasn't as if he showed any interest in me until I was a last resort. And he's never been as academic as myself. He would rather play Quidditch and wizard's chess than do his homework. I mean I do appreciate the body that playing Quidditch helped sculpt. Those big broad shoulders and his warm cinnamon colored eyes…."_

"Please stop Miss Granger before I vomit." He groaned. So she was interested in Weasley's good looks. Well if good looks were what she was after he'd fail the test immediately. He was nothing to look at that was for sure. He was taller than average, and his height made him look too skinny. He had an audacious nose that was more like a huge beak than a nose. And his hair constantly looked lank and greasy. His teeth were crooked and yellow from years of smoking and drinking coffee. Yeah, he was no catch in the looks department.

_******S&H******_

_**A/N: The italics are Severus's thoughts and speech in his own mind. **_

Hermione sat there continuing to talk to her unconscious professor about Ron attributes, when there was a knock at the door. "Come on in," Hermione said her wand poised in her hand for quick access as the door opened and Ron Weasley stood there. "Oh, Ron it's you," Hermione said visibly relaxing.

_Great, I get the insufferable know-it-all and her dunderhead boyfriend. You two better not start snogging….Severus thought shaking the mental image from his mind. _

"Yeah, I didn't know you were here. I was looking for Harry," Ron said explaining why he was there.

"He went to see Ginny," Hermione said feeling a little guilty that she hadn't gone to see Ron first. "They had a few things they needed to clear up," Hermione added.

"_Interesting, Miss Granger, so Mr. Weasley had no idea that you were here with me," Severus thought feeling the warmth of the news warm him from the inside out. _

"Oh," Ron said looking down at the floor. "So when did you get back." Ron asked.

"A little while ago," Hermione admitted. There was no use lying to Ron saying she had went looking for him first, when she hadn't.

"Oh," Ron said a little relived that she hadn't been looking for him.

_What were you doing Mr. Weasley that you don't want Miss Granger to know about? Severus thought with a smirk on his lips. _

"What did you want to talk to Harry about," Hermione asked.

"Well I didn't want to do it here, but I might as well get it over with," Ron said.

_Keep going Weasel, please say she's going to be a free witch very soon._

"What are you talking about?" Hermione said not even daring to hope they could be talking about the same thing.

"I need to talk to you about something," Ron said with a faint blush on his cheeks.

"I need to talk to you about something as well." Hermione agreed.

"You better let me go first because I don't think I'll be able too much longer."

"Fine," Hermione said.

_Severus stood there frozen unable to move and unwilling to move even one step until he heard what Weasel had to say. "Please let her be a free witch," his heart beat in time to the tempo of his mantra._

"I don't think we should see each other anymore," Ron said. "As boyfriend and girlfriend, I mean," he added hastily.

"I've been thinking the same thing," Hermione said. "I want us to still be friends," Hermione said.

"I do too," Ron said smiling. "Don't take this the wrong way but I think of you as more as another sister than a girlfriend," Ron said.

_Severus if he wasn't such a stick in the mud, would have been doing his version of a happy dance and shouting at the top of his lungs how happy he was that Hermione Granger was a free witch. So he indulged himself this once in his mind's eye to do a happy dance with those stupid icicles and raising the roof moves that he had seen plenty of students do over the years. _

"As much as I hate to say it, I have to agree with you." Hermione said. "You and Harry are the brothers I never had, and you're my best friends. So what made you start thinking about us being just friends?" Hermione asked.

****S&H****

Albus had stayed in his private study, long after Minerva's rather abrupt departure. He wanted to go after her, but resolved himself to staying put, giving her time to deal with everything. It wasn't an easy thing to take in. He had known about it for thirty-eight years and he was still having trouble. Severus Snape was his nephew, no ifs, ands or butts about it. The Birth Registry of Magical Children didn't lie.

The more he thought about it the more he wondered if he had treated Severus unfairly over the years. After all Severus was his nephew, a part of his family whether Severus himself knew it or not. He knew that Severus hadn't wanted any kind of special attention or favors just because he was a relative of Minerva but considering that Severus was his brother's son maybe he could have done more to help the boy without him knowing it. It turned his stomach to think of some of the injustices Severus had endured because he didn't intervene. The treatment the Marauders had subjected him to was despicable and cruel yet he had let them get by with barely any punishment at all. Only a few light detentions and barely a scolding. Even when Sirius had nearly killed Severus he had looked the other way and did nothing more than give him detention for the rest of the year.

Yes, he had been very unfair to Severus as a child and it had continued well into his adulthood as he had used his love and grief for Lily to coerce him into spying for him. He wondered if his own son had lived if maybe that would have made a difference in the way he treated Severus. He had a feeling that it would have but it did no good to speculate, Reginald was dead and that was something that was never going to change.

Then like a light bulb kicking on, he suddenly cursed himself and headed out of his study in search of his wife. Hoping she'd let him talk before she started hexing him.

****S&H****

Minerva rushed out of the study not even paying attention to where she was going until she was in her sitting room staring out the window onto the overgrown pitch. Merlin, how many times had she stood, sat at that window watching Reginald play with Severus or fly around on his broomstick. She hated being back here in this house. The memories were too much to handle…to painful. There were just too many memories of Reginald surrounding this house. His first cry, his first laugh, his first word, his first steps, the first time he learned to ride a broom. Oh why did Albus have to bring her back here? She hadn't stepped foot in this house since a year after his death.

She had taken a year off of teaching because of his death, unable to deal with the other students when the light of her life was dead. She had doted on Reginald, he was her whole reason for living then he was gone. Like a thief in the night Voldemort had come and killed her little boy. She had gone through all the seven phases of grief. Right after Reginald's death she had walked around in a numb shell, believing she saw him around every corner, in every room, everywhere she went. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact her baby…her little boy was dead. He was only six he, couldn't be dead. He had so much more life ahead of him. After the shock and denial wore off she blamed Albus, and Eileen who had been with her when it happened. She even blamed herself for not getting to Reginald quick enough. Then she had begged Albus to talk to Nicholas Flamel to create an elixir that would bring back the dead or anything the resurrection stone, she didn't care whether it was dark magic ancient magic as long as it brought her boy back. When Albus had refused she was angry with him. Oh she was still angry with him for Reginald's death, she had to admit but then she besides maybe Severus knew why Albus had hunted Voldemort with a passion. And it had nothing to do with light and dark, right and wrong, it was more Albus getting his revenge for his son's untimely death. The depression part of her grief had been the worst. She had gone back to teaching, but she wasn't really into it. She distanced herself away from her family, Albus. Merlin only knew how he had survived living with her for that year and a half. She had taken to sleeping in the quarters that was provided for the Head of Gryffindor, she had refused to talk to Albus outside of the professional capacity. Then one day, she couldn't really remember she woke up from her dreamlike state, she started focusing on her teaching, talking to Albus, visiting her family mostly her parents, Robert Jr and Eileen once again. Her first visit with Eileen had been hard, watching Severus show off his magic and other things, but what had hurt the most was Severus asking where Reginald was. She had left shortly after that with a new plan in mind she would simply have another baby. That hadn't gone over so well with Albus once he figured out what she was planning.

"_Minerva, I love you but having another child will not bring Reg, back."_

"_I know that but just think Albus another little one running around calling you Daddy, hanging on your every word. Perhaps a daughter this time," she said trying hard to convince him._

"_No!" Albus roared out. "As much as I want you back in my bed, I will not if this is the price I have to pay. I would rather go back to you barely talking to me than go through it all over again." He said before he got out of bed leaving her alone and crying._

It had taken her a while to realize that he was right. She hadn't really wanted another baby she had wanted to replace Reginald. And with Voldemort getting stronger the fear of losing yet another child to that monster was incomprehensible. She would rather go without than go through the pain again. So she focused on her students and for the ten months she had them she mothered them until Severus came to Hogwarts.

****S&H****

"What are you scared to tell me, Lil," James asked watching her stammer for a few minutes.

"I was just thinking, that maybe it would be nice to uhum…you know maybe if you wanted to uhum…" Lily stammered some more. Why was this proving so difficult to articulate? She never had such problems before.

"It would be nice if I wanted to what Lil?" James asked trying to piece together what she was trying to say only coming up with maybe a hundred different possibilities.

"I want another baby," Lily said relying on her Gryffindor courage to get the words out.

"You want another baby," James repeated shocked.

"Yes, we never really got the chance to raise Harry and I thought that with another baby, what with Voldemort gone we'd finally have that chance."

"Let me get this straight, you've been trying to say that it would be ok if I wanted to make love to you so you could get pregnant?" James said almost jumping at the chance to make love to her but the idea of doing it just for another baby stopped him. It wasn't that he didn't want another baby he did but not right. If he was going to have another child he wanted to do it right, not like with Harry. It wasn't as if he didn't love Lily or Harry but they had gotten married so young, and they barely had a chance to be husband and wife before being parents and then their deaths. They needed a chance to learn each other all over again.

"Well...yes…" Lily said looking at him so full of hope.

"Lily," he started watching the hope that shined brightly in her green eyes start to disappear. "You have no idea how badly I want to carry you off to bed and make mad passionate love to you but I want it to be about us not about getting you pregnant." James said watching all the hope flicker away.

"Don't you want another baby James?" Lily asked slightly confused, James had always wanted a brother or a sister that was why they had agreed when they had kids it wouldn't be an only child. "Just think James, another chance to experience the things we missed out on with Harry?" she said almost pleadingly.

"Of course I want another baby Lil, but first I think we need to work on getting to know each other again. Then we need to...concentrate on rebuilding our marriage before we bring a baby into this. Don't take this the wrong way but I think we should have learned more about being husband and wife before you got pregnant the first time. We weren't really prepared." James pointed out.

"I can't argue with that logic considering I was thinking the same thing earlier. We were really young and...but James I do want a baby." Lily said.

"I'm not saying no indefinitely Lily, I'm just saying not right now."

"Then what are you saying?" Lily asked even more confused.

"I'm saying let's sort out our priorities first, like focusing on getting to know each other again as husband and wife, getting me a job and you one too if you want and getting back in our own home before we think about having another baby." He said rubbing his thumb along the inside of her wrist.

"So once everything is order then we can?" Lily said looking at him so full of hope once again.

"Yes," James agreed whole heartedly.

"So where do you want to start," Lily asked with a little mischievous glint in her eye.

"I'll show you where," James said tossing her over his shoulder in a fit full of giggles as he ran out of the room and up the stairs towards their bedroom.

****S&H****

The more Sirius thought about finding the perfect wife the more his thoughts turned back to Hermione. She was brilliant, clever, worked well under pressure. She was still young enough to have kids, about four would be ideal, two boys and two girls, he thought. She wasn't totally unattractive and she'd look good draped on his arm. She wasn't too short or too tall and she wasn't skin and bones but she wasn't fat either just the right amount of curves, he summarized. The only thing unattractive about her was her hair but that could be charmed. But other than that he'd have no problems bedding her on a daily basis, which he would intend to do. And her thirst for knowledge would prove most beneficial in the bedroom. Yes Hermione Granger was the woman he was going to marry. Now just to come up with a plan of seduction that would insure she married him. He was going to have to be a little tricky and crafty first to get Ron out of the way without jeopardizing their friendship or ruining his relationship with Harry what was left of it anyways. He was going to have to start slowly in getting Ron out of the picture, maybe he could introduce Ron to some other witches that were more like him….Yes that was where he would start low on intelligence but bigger in other areas seemed Ron's type.

****S&H****

Aquila walked into the party on Jadon's arm, she wasn't the least bit scared to be in a room full of vampires. Her smile brightened as she thought about what her father would think to know that his little princess was seeing a high ranking vampire. Little did her father know that the young Death Eater boy he had cast out into the vampire village as a payment of sorts to gather their allegiance, would come back to be his worst nightmare.

Yes, Jadon hadn't always been a vampire, he was once as real as Aquila herself. He had been nothing more than a young Death Eater freshly joined when they had met. Jadon had offered her father the village he had grown up in as payment to join. Their first meeting had been purely accidental. But Aquila being young and her mother's daughter had flirted shamelessly with Jadon until he had given into her advances. It had been fun sneaking around behind her parents' back. The sex had been great. Well maybe not their first time it had hurt like hell, but it didn't follow along with her mother's talk about it being a chore with her husband Rodolphus Lestrange. Aquila still believed to this day that her father had forced her mother to marry Lestrange. After all from the one conversation a long time ago she had overheard her father having with a few of his inner circle members, her mother were under the Eternus Perturbatio Curse1. An endless passion curse or a curse which would render oneself to be a nymphomaniac that was the curse he had cast on her mother when she was just sixteen years old. Oh well that was neither here nor there. It didn't matter if her mother had been under a curse or not. Sex with Jadon wasn't a chore. She had loved it.

She had been sixteen when her parents found out about Jadon, thanks to an elf that her father had sent to spy on her. Of course the elf whose name was insignificant was no longer alive thanks to Chantel, a fact that she had taken pride in. After she had taken care of the elf, she bought herself another elf that served only her. Her father had first accused Jadon of cursing her but upon finding no magic implying that to be the fact, he had accused Jadon of raping her, and she had pleaded with her father saying it wasn't true that she loved him. She still remembered the furious red eyes glowing brightly at her saying there was no such thing as love, that her only purpose in this world was to marry a suitable male to marry and produce heirs. And of course her father had told her he would take care of Jadon.

Take care of Jadon he did, with her watching. She never really forgave her father for that.

They all, Jadon, Salazar, her and her father had walked into a dusky looking village with boarded up windows and run down house . Her father had pushed Jadon towards the well in the center of the village and held her and Salazar back as he pinned Jadon to the spot with a sticking charm .

Jadon's screams still echoed in her ears sometimes at night along with her father's words. "Tell your Count, that I've paid in fresh blood for his allegiance to the Dark, and if more payment is needed let me know." They had disappeared with a swirl of blackness, flying without brooms a trick of her fathers that they never learned. It was her father's actions that night that would cost him the allegiance of the vampires. Apparently the Count didn't like Voldemort's treatment of Jadon and had taken Jadon under his wing. She wasn't exactly sure of how the story went that Jadon became ruler of the Coven Circle, but it really didn't matter. When he became the ruler he had created the link in her dungeon to the village square so they could still be together.

It was through that link that she had ran telling Jadon of her father's plans to once again gain the allegiance of the vampires. It was then that Jadon had let her hide and watch as he told her father no that none of the vampires would ever join his cause and if he ever came back he would lose the ones precious to him by the bite. The bite being a more life altering curse her father had left and never returned.

It was this curse that Aquila was more than ready to take now that her father was dead and with no way to resurrect him. It was only the fear that her father would send his pack of mangy wolves on the village that had kept her from being bitten.

Aquila turned to look at her lover, feeling that one chapter was dawning close to an end, she smiled up at him brightly. All that was left to do was make sure Salazar wouldn't try to extract his revenge for their parents' death, resurrecting their father by some other ancient means. Salazar was a piece of cake compared to deal with their father. Once Salazar was taken care of Jadon would bite her in a binding ceremony and they would be together always. It was that thought that spurred her into the very open display of affection by kissing him passionately in front of his adoptive family.

****S&H****

Salazar landed gracefully outside of a little white stone cottage. He looked around and all he could see were rolling green hills and a lot of stone walls. She must have ran away to Ireland, where her mother's family was from, he assumed as he looked around at the landscape. Defiantly Ireland or maybe Scotland but he was more certain that it was the prior rather than the later, if the front door was anything to go by. All white with emerald green trim, yes that practically shouted Ireland. "Slippy where are we," he asked just to satisfy his own curiosity.

"We're outside Missy's home. Missy was most displeased with Slippy for popping in her living room. Missy asked Slippy to kindly use the front door."

"I know were at her home but where is her home?" Salazar said rubbing his temple.

"Slippy bring Master to Ireland," Slippy answered.

"I thought so," Salazar said under his breath as he peered around the outside of the cottage once again. Seeing the window over to his right, it wouldn't hurt to see what she look now after eleven years, he thought. He walked over to the window and peered inside cautiously.

His heart nearly plummeted to his feet at the sight of her. She hadn't changed one bit. Well maybe she had gotten a little older looking but not really. Her red hair was glowing in the fire light . He couldn't see her green eyes but he would bet money that they still shined bright. He could feel his palms starting to sweat and rubbed them on his trousers. How was she going to react upon seeing him again? Would it be a friendly visit or would it be a heart breaking disaster? Would he be able to rekindle the flame or would she still hate him? God he hoped the torture his father put her through wouldn't haunt her but knowing it probably did. The worse part was being helpless to stop it. It didn't matter how much he screamed at his father to torture him, his cries, pleas went unanswered all the while listening to her scream in agony, pain and fear.

****S&H****

Aberforth caught up with Eileen just as she was getting to her feet. In a quick sweep around to assesses the situation, he noticed the pile of vomit. Before he could even think what he was doing he was grabbing her arm roughly in his hand. "What the hell are you doing, trying to kill yourself?" He demanded roughly.

"I'm trying to get to my son," Eileen spat out, jerking free of his grip, only to have him step in front of her blocking her way. "Get out of my way," she ordered haughtily.

"Not until I make sure you're all right." Aberforth said sternly griping her shoulder firmly with one hand as he pulled his wand with the other.

"What do you care?" Eileen said looking at him /

"I care, Eileen. Merlin help me I care, no matter how hard I've tried not to," he said casting a simple diagnostic spell.

"Oh yeah sure, you care to much, that's why you walked out on me and never came back." She huffed out crossing her arms over her chest.

"You told me you were going to marry that damn muggle ." Aberforth shouted at her.

"I told you that he asked me, not that I was going too," Eileen shouted at him. "You know what," she said shaking his hand off her shoulder. "I refuse to keep having this same argument with you, especially when my son needs me," Eileen said.

"You're not going anywhere, until you eat something," he said forcefully spinning her around towards the café. "You're almost completely depleted," he said taking her elbow and forcing her to walk towards the café doors.

"I'll eat, when I see my son," Eileen said ripping her arm out of his grip and marching towards the front doors of St. Mungo's.

"Damn it Eileen, come back here," Aberforth cursed following her.

****S&H****

As soon as he was done doing is very awkward looking happy dance, something he'd never in this life time do in public he started to work through his maze again, wanting to wake up so badly. He wanted to see the look on Granger's face. He wanted to scold her for using him as her psychiatrist. He wanted to kiss her senseless…_Whoa wait a minute. Since when have you wanted to kiss her senseless, Snape? She's your student who deserved your protection. She's a fellow Order member who deserves your loyalty. She the brightest witch of her age with an intelligence to match your own who deserves your respect. She doesn't need to be treated like some piece of prize meat waiting to be devoured. I wonder what she tastes like. Are her lips as soft as they look? Is she passionate? He couldn't see her being any other way._

Snape continued walking trying to find his way out through his memories all the while listening to Weasel tell Hermione how the ditzy bubbling Miss Brown accepted him. He was tickled to death when he finally found the exit to his mind and Weasley decided to leave at the same time. He was almost there when Hermione's voice filtered through his mind again.

"I'm really happy for him Professor, and I'm glad we can still be friends."

"_As am I Miss Granger" he answered._

"I'm sure I made the right choice, unlike some of my other choices." She said with a chuckle. "Enough of that, I can't change the past, all I can do is move forward and try not to repeat the past. So what if every relationship I've had went sour, and most of my crushes were unreciprocated. I mean who in their right mind would ever have a crush on Lockhart. I guess I always thought that if it was printed in a book and not fiction it had to be truth. I know how stupidly naïve of me. I made such a terrible fool of myself thinking he was the greatest thing ever because of his good looks, and his lies. I was so sure that Harry and Ron and all the others were just exaggerating. Professor Lockhart wasn't the only Professor I had a crush on and he wasn't my only crush either."

_Oh really who else was there? He wondered staying just out reach of unlocking his mind, wanting to hear what she desperately had to say. _

"Let's see I had a crush on Professor Lupin even after you assigned that essay on werewolves. He was so nice and sweet, educated, and him being a werewolf only add to the mysterious dangerous side of him. Then there was Sirius. I'll admit his childishness and immaturity aside he's got that dark and dangerous thing working for him. He's good looking and he's well educated. I guess those are the things I saw in him most."

"_So let's see you like educated men. Well I definitely qualify for that. Dark, mysterious, and dangerous, well I got all three of those covered as well. I've only been playing the dark dangerous mysterious man for twenty years. My only short coming is in the look department, might as well give up now. _He thought until her next words floored him.

"I used to have a crush on you as well. I'd sit in class and get lost in your voice. It's very soothing when you aren't being snarky. I wanted so much to be able to talk to you and pick your brain. I'd say you are the most educated man I know who would be able to keep up with me intellectually. I think half the female student body all crushed on you." Hermione said. "I know a good portion of Gyffindors did. I won't repeat half the things they said…."

"Please don't Miss Granger," Severus croaked out in a dry weak voice.

Hermione's eyes shot up to see two black orbs staring back at her. "Professor," Hermione cried throwing herself at him.

Severus didn't have time to react before he was enveloped in a hug and Hermione was kissing him. _Yep her lips are just as soft as I imagined. Damn she tastes so good._ He thought just as he was about to angle his head a little and deepen the kiss he heard a cough.

"Well I see you're better," a female voice said standing in his doorway.

A/N:

1 Eternus Perturbatio Curse is a curse used by Subversa in her story the Love you Take. It's a great story if you haven't read it you should. Eternus Perturbatio is a Latin translation of sorts meaning Endless Passion.


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